Question
We have 15 queen palms throughout our front and back yard. A few of them we have noticed small brown spots on the leafs and on one or two of them we have noticed white/silver stuff on the skeleton of the palm frawns. I have not been able to find anything about these sypmtons, can you please help. We have two 5 gallon plams planted at the same time that are growing significately different rates, one being not as green and just sickly looking. We have fertilized with the palm stakes and water on a regular basis. Unsure of what to do?

Thank you.

Macie Hatch

Answer
Hi Macie, ok, lets take it one step at a time here, first the whitish "stuff" on the fronds is probably scale, a horticultural oil should eradicate it with no problem; now, the brown spots are more then likely a common fungus that effects all palms, a copper fungicide sprayed on the newer fronds will protect them from it (the effected ones will stay the way they are until they eventually yellow and need to be pruned off); the last problem, the growing peculiarity is really very common, I have never seen numerous palms planted together grow at the same rate, this is just a phenomenon that occurs with palms, especially queens, the second one looking sickly though is a different story, it is usually a sign of nutrient deficiency, stakes will not cut it, stakes are a fallacy when it comes to fertilizing whatever they are specified for, be it Citrus, Palm etc. the problem is that they only provide nutrients to the root that is contacting them; you need to spread a well balanced palm fertilizer (granular) evenly around the base of the palm without contacting the trunk itself, about 1lb per inch of diameter of the trunk will be just fine, then water it in. Remember with queens not to cut off any fronds until they are completely yellow, for they are still functioning to feed the palm up to this point. good luck...Nick:)