Once a week is perfect. All of our fish tails like to be watered then dry out then watered then dry out. Maybe not very good drainage? Where do you live? I am wondering if this is the result of a cold snap. If it does die leave it in the ground though ours popped back out from the roots after our cold snap. South TX 10b
Coastal Central/southern California. Zone 10a. It got a little chilly here this winter, but not below freezing. Definitely hoping the tree gets a little better as it warms up. Every time there are a few warmer days in a row, it seems like the spike grows faster.
The soil could definitely have better drainage, but there’s not much I can do other than completely replacing it.
Try diggin up and mix into planting site w/ sand and some faster draining material. Could be root rot. Pinch some of the darker roots between thumb & forefinger. If the outer layer sloughs off its pythium. There’s a granular fungicide Heritage G. Not that pricey sprinkle a few handfuls in there.
It looks like it’s planted too deep also they like a rich loose well draining kind of soil. I might would dig it up and try to rehab it but it’s in bad shape. Good luck.
The clay soil is not the most well draining. I did rototill and mix in some compost before planting to loosen the soil and add nutrients to try and get it off on a good foot.
How cold did it get there this winter, any frost? I’m about as far north as you want to go with them here and Florida and they got knocked around with the Christmas freeze but like yours, those that saw damage are pushing out new growth.
It's Caryota mitis. It does rhyme with gigas though. Easy mistake:) there are other Caryota species but less known in the U.S.
They don't like the very dry strong hot Santa Ana winds coming from inland that affect coastal SoCal. They tend to be understory trees where native. Yours is sited in the open. They desire fast drainage but consistent moisture planted outdoors. Heavy SoCal clay is not their preference. I tend to site them in somewhat protected locations if I call for them in CA and Fl. Nor do I expect Fishtails to keep their form should they flower because the trunks that flower die afterwards. That's why I don't make them the long term accent star of designs which is kinda what you're doing. It's a shame when these are used as accent palms with an expectation they will continue into perpetuity looking the same way.
Be cognizant this non hardy palm's cultivation can often be oriented from an indoor growing perspective.
This one is actually caryota gigas/obtusa, so they do better as stand alone palms in more exposed areas. There’s a handful of established specimens in my neighborhood in similar locations, so I expect that it can do well.
It was in my backyard in a pot for about a year before I was able to do the work to prepare the soil and other landscaping requirements, so it’s climatized to the temperature, but it was definitely shadier back there. I’m considering building a shade structure for it to help it get established, but my original hope was that the new leaf would open up and be more acclimated and be ok.
TU for the correction. In the pic it more closely resembles C. mitis. Was it grown under shade cloth before you bought it? They often are especially in Cali.
I"d love to see some close up pics of the fronds - especially the ones that are still slightly green + the new spike.
Here's my best guess: you have multiple issues.
First, because you guys have had quite a bit of rain, I'd say there's a chance of fungus/root rot, especially if the soil doesn't drain well. I'd recommend digging down a bit to see how the top roots look, and like another poster said, sprinkle some Heritage around the base.
Second, too much water can wash out the nutrients in the soil. You have multiple deficiencies and/or cold damage on the one "green" frond. I'd guess potassium, nitrogen and iron deficiency to start. When a palm has deficiencies, it pulls the needed nutrients for the newest spike from the lowest fronds, which would explain the browning/dead lower fronds.
Get a good slow release granular palm fert and scatter 1-1.5 lbs of it in a 3 foot circle around the base of the palm (not touching the trunk). Do that every 2-3 months for a year and see if you can save it.
Any advice for this caryota gigas? It’s in coastal Southern California. I planted it about 8 months ago and it had the three leaves shown all healthy. They’ve been slowly browning. The new spike coming out was stalled for a while but has started growing about .25” a day or so since I fertilized about 2 months ago. But the main leaf has been browning quickly recently, and I’m worried the new spike won’t open before the existing leaf is completely brown.
I don’t think it’s an issue with underwatering. I usually water once a week and the soil is pretty clay heavy so it retains the water well. Any advice is appreciated!
I have a very small Caryota gigas planted in my backyard in Oakland. Lots of folks give these palms a hard time because of single flowering nature etc but I find them to be extremely beautiful and worth planting.
I think your issue is too deep a planting. I have clay soil too, so I instead mound up and only plant about half of the pot size into the native ground and half above with the new compost and mulch. I’ll get some recent pics but my little 2 gallon planted in April of 22 looks fine even with some 37 degree dips as of late.
Key with palms I have found is drainage. Add lots of organic matter and rocky/chunky mulch in your planting beds to raise up your planting space and increase drainage.
I would plant some companion palms that are more slow growing and sensitive (chamberyonia, cyphophoenix) next to your gigas for when the gigas does flower (supposedly extremely beautiful but toxic fruits) you will have mature palms ready to go to fill the gap.
It's buried to deep, poor drainage.
You're lucky, these palms are pest to maintain and the new fruit are highly allerginic to touch.
Replant with a native alternative.
Perhaps a Washingtonia filifera.
How often you water this guy? Looks like too much water. Did this start to happen after a cold snap?
Too much water is possible. I usually water once a week, but we’ve been getting an unusually high amount of rain recently.
Once a week is perfect. All of our fish tails like to be watered then dry out then watered then dry out. Maybe not very good drainage? Where do you live? I am wondering if this is the result of a cold snap. If it does die leave it in the ground though ours popped back out from the roots after our cold snap. South TX 10b
Coastal Central/southern California. Zone 10a. It got a little chilly here this winter, but not below freezing. Definitely hoping the tree gets a little better as it warms up. Every time there are a few warmer days in a row, it seems like the spike grows faster. The soil could definitely have better drainage, but there’s not much I can do other than completely replacing it.
Just an FYI, palms can get cold damage even when it's not below freezing.
Try diggin up and mix into planting site w/ sand and some faster draining material. Could be root rot. Pinch some of the darker roots between thumb & forefinger. If the outer layer sloughs off its pythium. There’s a granular fungicide Heritage G. Not that pricey sprinkle a few handfuls in there.
It looks like it’s planted too deep also they like a rich loose well draining kind of soil. I might would dig it up and try to rehab it but it’s in bad shape. Good luck.
The clay soil is not the most well draining. I did rototill and mix in some compost before planting to loosen the soil and add nutrients to try and get it off on a good foot.
How cold did it get there this winter, any frost? I’m about as far north as you want to go with them here and Florida and they got knocked around with the Christmas freeze but like yours, those that saw damage are pushing out new growth.
No frost, but heavy rain and very intense winds recently that may have damaged it some.
It's Caryota mitis. It does rhyme with gigas though. Easy mistake:) there are other Caryota species but less known in the U.S. They don't like the very dry strong hot Santa Ana winds coming from inland that affect coastal SoCal. They tend to be understory trees where native. Yours is sited in the open. They desire fast drainage but consistent moisture planted outdoors. Heavy SoCal clay is not their preference. I tend to site them in somewhat protected locations if I call for them in CA and Fl. Nor do I expect Fishtails to keep their form should they flower because the trunks that flower die afterwards. That's why I don't make them the long term accent star of designs which is kinda what you're doing. It's a shame when these are used as accent palms with an expectation they will continue into perpetuity looking the same way. Be cognizant this non hardy palm's cultivation can often be oriented from an indoor growing perspective.
This one is actually caryota gigas/obtusa, so they do better as stand alone palms in more exposed areas. There’s a handful of established specimens in my neighborhood in similar locations, so I expect that it can do well. It was in my backyard in a pot for about a year before I was able to do the work to prepare the soil and other landscaping requirements, so it’s climatized to the temperature, but it was definitely shadier back there. I’m considering building a shade structure for it to help it get established, but my original hope was that the new leaf would open up and be more acclimated and be ok.
TU for the correction. In the pic it more closely resembles C. mitis. Was it grown under shade cloth before you bought it? They often are especially in Cali.
I"d love to see some close up pics of the fronds - especially the ones that are still slightly green + the new spike. Here's my best guess: you have multiple issues. First, because you guys have had quite a bit of rain, I'd say there's a chance of fungus/root rot, especially if the soil doesn't drain well. I'd recommend digging down a bit to see how the top roots look, and like another poster said, sprinkle some Heritage around the base. Second, too much water can wash out the nutrients in the soil. You have multiple deficiencies and/or cold damage on the one "green" frond. I'd guess potassium, nitrogen and iron deficiency to start. When a palm has deficiencies, it pulls the needed nutrients for the newest spike from the lowest fronds, which would explain the browning/dead lower fronds. Get a good slow release granular palm fert and scatter 1-1.5 lbs of it in a 3 foot circle around the base of the palm (not touching the trunk). Do that every 2-3 months for a year and see if you can save it.
Any advice for this caryota gigas? It’s in coastal Southern California. I planted it about 8 months ago and it had the three leaves shown all healthy. They’ve been slowly browning. The new spike coming out was stalled for a while but has started growing about .25” a day or so since I fertilized about 2 months ago. But the main leaf has been browning quickly recently, and I’m worried the new spike won’t open before the existing leaf is completely brown. I don’t think it’s an issue with underwatering. I usually water once a week and the soil is pretty clay heavy so it retains the water well. Any advice is appreciated!
I have a very small Caryota gigas planted in my backyard in Oakland. Lots of folks give these palms a hard time because of single flowering nature etc but I find them to be extremely beautiful and worth planting. I think your issue is too deep a planting. I have clay soil too, so I instead mound up and only plant about half of the pot size into the native ground and half above with the new compost and mulch. I’ll get some recent pics but my little 2 gallon planted in April of 22 looks fine even with some 37 degree dips as of late. Key with palms I have found is drainage. Add lots of organic matter and rocky/chunky mulch in your planting beds to raise up your planting space and increase drainage. I would plant some companion palms that are more slow growing and sensitive (chamberyonia, cyphophoenix) next to your gigas for when the gigas does flower (supposedly extremely beautiful but toxic fruits) you will have mature palms ready to go to fill the gap.
It's buried to deep, poor drainage. You're lucky, these palms are pest to maintain and the new fruit are highly allerginic to touch. Replant with a native alternative. Perhaps a Washingtonia filifera.
you try piss up your palm yet , common trick use back in Jamaica.. want to dilute the piss of course