The plant lover often only realizes that a palm tree is drying up when the leaves are dropped, because they retain their green color for a relatively long time. However, if many fronds die off in a short time, rapid action is required. The fact that the plant is stunted can have various causes, which we would like to explain in more detail here.
Sometimes a dried up palm tree can still be saved
Watered too little
If the palm has been thirsty for a longer period of time, this deficiency can usually be remedied and the palm will recover. You can recognize a lack of water, among other things, by the fact that the soil is bone dry and a gap has often already formed at the edge of the pot.
remedy
- Fill a bucket or a sufficiently large container with water.
- Submerge the palm completely.
- Wait until no more air bubbles rise to the surface.
- From now on, water regularly whenever the top centimeters of the substrate feel dry.
Too frequent watering
Wet soil says little about whether your palm tree can absorb enough liquid. If you water too much over a longer period of time, bacteria can multiply in the wet substrate, leading to root rot. The damaged root system can then no longer transport water and the plant dries up.
remedy
- Take the palm tree out of the pot.
- Often you can already smell a musty smell.
- The substrate is spongy and extremely wet.
- The roots are no longer bright and crisp, but are squishy and soft to the touch and brown in color.
Remove the old soil and cut off the damaged root parts with a sharp knife. The plant is then placed in fresh palm soil. In the future, water significantly less and throw away excess water that collects in the saucer after a few minutes.
Unfavorable location
A wrong place can also be the reason why the palm tree dries up. Plants that stand in the sun all day, are exposed to dry heating air in winter, or are constantly buffeted by the wind, evaporate more water than they can absorb.
remedy
If you have watered sufficiently, only a change of location will help in this case.
tips
If only the lower fronds dry up, this is a natural process. The palm tree eventually sheds the withered leaves, while fresh, green fans sprout above. This is how the trunk with the tuft gradually develops, which gives many palm plants their typical appearance.