Palm plants are usually quite robust and rarely suffer from plant diseases. Nevertheless, it is important to recognize them as early as possible and to treat them correctly. If this is not done, the plant can be weakened so much that it even dies as a result.
Well cared for palm trees rarely get sick
How do you recognize diseases?
Diseases usually show up first on the leaves. These can:
- become soft
- change color (first yellow and then later brown
- dry up
- or show pads.
sooty mold
If you discover black, often star-shaped deposits on the fronds, the sooty mold fungus is almost always responsible for this. Although this inhibits photosynthesis, it is not life-threatening for the plant.
If you look closely at the palm tree, you will often find lice, as the fungus often settles on the excretions of the harmful insects.
combat
You can easily wipe off the black layer with a cloth soaked in a water-vinegar solution. Take this opportunity to examine the palm for pest infestation and use a suitable agent to combat aphids, mealybugs or spider mites.
root rot
If the leaves of the palm tree begin to wither despite regular watering, it is often suffering from root rot. Rot fungi could spread in the wet substrate, damaging the roots. The life veins of the plant can no longer fulfill their task of transporting the water and the plant dries up.
remedy
Carefully lift the palm tree out of the pot. Most of the time you can immediately notice an unpleasant musty smell. The substrate feels like a wet sponge. The roots are no longer white and crisp, but mushy brown.
- Remove the old substrate as much as possible.
- Cut off any damaged root parts.
- Place the palm tree in a planter with good water drainage, in which you also add a drainage layer of expanded clay (€19.73).
- In the future, water significantly less and only when the top centimeters of the soil feel dry.
- After a few minutes, pour away excess water in the cachepot.
heart or spear rot
For many palm trees that are overwintered outdoors, it is not the cold that means death, but heart rot. What happened? Packing it thickly in protective materials can get wet in the heart. Only little air gets to the plant so that it does not dry out. This encourages decay. Frost damage also promotes Spear and Heartrot.
As a result, the fronds look battered, sometimes show mold and can be easily pulled out of the heart.
remedy
- Do not cut off the diseased leaves, because they serve as a valuable nutrient store for the plant.
- Carefully “pull” only completely dead compartments.
- Keep the plant airy, dry and warm.
- You can sprinkle a crushed tablet of quinosol (pharmacy) into the heart. Many palm fans report surprising successes through the use of this medicine from human medicine and they were able to regenerate the palm with good care.
tips
With all diseases of the palm tree, it is advisable to isolate the plant from other plants. If you also examine your other houseplants thoroughly, you can treat them accordingly in the early stages of a disease.