With their large, dark green fronds, the palm trees exude a Mediterranean flair. Unfortunately, damage is the first to appear on the foliage and the plants then lose much of their charm.
Why does my palm tree curl up its leaves?
If a palm tree curls its leaves, it may be due to root rot, drought, plant diseases or pests, or heart of palm rot. The respective cause must be identified and appropriate care measures implemented in order to nurse the palm tree back to he alth.
Reasons for leaf damage:
Wilting, curling leaves almost always indicate that the plant is evaporating more water than it can absorb through the roots. The following causes may be responsible for this:
- Root rot
- Water shortage
- Plant diseases or pests
- Rotting of the Palm Heart
Cause: Root rot
Palm trees have an extremely sensitive root system, which quickly begins to rot when waterlogged and overwatered. The roots can then no longer absorb sufficient moisture and the plant wilts.
Pot out the palm tree. Since putrefactive bacteria are involved in this process, you will often be struck by an unpleasant, musty smell. Carefully remove the over-soaked substrate and cut back the damaged roots. You can recognize a he althy root system because it is light colored and crisp, while the damaged areas are soft and brownish.
Place the plant in fresh palm soil and water significantly less in the future.
Cause: dryness
If you water too rarely, the plant cannot absorb enough moisture. To minimize the evaporation area, the palm tree rolls up the foliage.
Here it is sufficient to water regularly and sufficiently. Water the palm whenever the top few inches of the substrate feel dry. There should be enough water so that it comes out of the drain hole of the planter. Tip away excess liquid after a few minutes.
Cause: Plant diseases or pests
Examine the palm tree thoroughly; a magnifying glass can be very helpful here. Are there deposits or are there harmful insects such as lice? If this is the case, the palm tree should be isolated and treated with a suitable pesticide.
Rotting of the Palm Heart
Unfortunately, this can also occur with proper care. It is caused by various fungi. Waterlogging, temperatures that are too low or compacted substrates can force the outbreak of the disease.
However, it is worth not giving up on the palm tree, because the palm tree can be nurtured again. Get chinosol tablets from the pharmacy (€27.00 on Amazon), which are dissolved in water. Pour the remedy directly into the palm heart. Specialist retailers also have special products available to combat this plant disease.
Tip
To keep the foliage nice and green, the palm tree should be sprayed daily with soft water. This also prevents the dreaded spider mite infestation.
