QuestionI just bought a beautiful fishtail palm. I was assured that it does not have any diseases just requiring a lot of TLC. When I brought it home I discovered that on the underside of all the leaves and on the stalks there is a brown/dust-like powder. It comes off easily. Is this normal for this particular type of plant? If so, what is it?
AnswerI have often seen this on mature Fishtails and it didn't seem to effect them at all, but I would wash the fronds down well and spray them with a Copper Fungicide once every couple of Months just to keep it at bay, it is a fungal problem, but easily controlled. Just follow the directions on the lable and you should do fine.
