Question
Hello, I have two king double king palms that have developed some kind of disease or scaling on only one of the trees.  The scaling looks pink and has a residue powder to it with a very odd smell.  I have been advised by Evergreen Nursery to cut off the infected tree and leave the other one and reduce the watering? Does this sound right to you?  How often should I water a king palm?

Answer
The plant may have two problems.  One is a fungal disease that is affecting individual leaves on a frond.  I have seen this with the pink coloration.  I have never noticed a smell though.  The other possibility could be scale insects.  They will be oval in shape and can be scraped off with your fingernail. They may have a cottony covering that may have a pink color to it.  See if you can determine which is the case.  If you have a picture or two, please send them to me and it will help me diagnose the problem better.  You can send them through allexperts via picture attachment.  I await your response.  Thanks.