Texas Palm Decline (TPD), also known as Texas Phoenix Palm Decline (TPPD), was first discovered in the southern coastal region of Texas in the late 1970’s. This palm decline disease is relatively new in Florida, first discovered in 2006.
Texas Phoenix Palm Decline is very similar to Lethal Yellowing (LY), a disease that has killed hundreds of thousands of palms in south Florida since the 1950’s. Researchers believe the disease is spread by an insect. These insects feed on sap of an infected then spread the disease from palm to palm as it continues to feed.
Texas Palm Decline was discovered in the west central region of Florida and appears set to ravage thousands of expensive Canary Island Date palms, edible date palms, and wild date palms. These palms can cost from $5,000 to $10,000 apiece.
Another palm affected is the less expensive but quite popular Queen palm. In addition the palm decline disease is suspected of jumping to a new species, the Sabal palm, which is also the state tree of Florida. Texas Phoenix Palm Disease has been recently confirmed in Pinellas, Polk, Hillsborough, Manatee and Sarasota counties in the west central region of Florida. This disease is expected to spread because of the number of palms bought, sold and shipped around Florida.
Texas Palm Decline exhibits symptoms that include lower fronds that turn brown, death of the spear leaf (the youngest unfolded frond), premature death or fronds, premature death of fruit and flowers, premature fruit drop, and eventually death of the palm itself.
Eventually the palm will die as this palm decline disease is fatal. Many of the Texas Palm Decline symptoms described here may be the result of other causes such as lightning, overpruning, insects, herbicides and nutritional deficiencies. Only an expert can sort these symptoms out.
If you suspect your palm has Texas Palm Decline, call a palm expert or certified arborist . If they agree that the palm decline symptoms may be present,, they will arrange to have a sample sent to a lab for confirmation. If the tests confirm Texas Phoenix Palm Decline disease, remove the palm as soon as possible. It’s in the community’s best interest to prevent further spread of this disease.
If the spear leaf of your palm has not died, but Texas Palm Decline symptoms currently exist, the palm may be saved with regular injections of oxytetracycline Hcl, an antibiotic. These injections, which must continue every 4 months for the life of the palm, can offer protection from palm decline.. This same antibiotic program may also be used on healthy palms to prevent Texas Phoenix Palm Decline when the disease is known to occur in the area.
Tags: Gardening, landscape, Landscaping, palm disease, palm trees, palms