Freeze Damaged Palm Trees

Did you awaken to see freeze damaged palm trees in your yard?

Palms snowed in overnight?! Don't panic!

We'll help you uncover hidden & visible effects of freeze damage on palms. And provide you with tips on what to do to assist your palms. For getting through winter weather.

We live in the Arizona desert - well known for heat. In winter months an overnight cold snap sometimes arrives. With a sudden drop in temps! We've learned a few things about the effects of cold weather on palms.

• We'll cover how to assess & Identify Freeze Damage.
• Consider the Types of Freezing Attacks.
• With Steps to Diagnose Palm Symptoms.
• Best ways to Repair & Treat any Damage.
• Plus Protecting Them from future cold snaps.

Oh No! Has This Happened to You?

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Signs of a Cold or Freeze Damaged Palm Tree

Some species can endure a cold winter.

Like Windmill Palms (Trachycarpus fortunei), Cabbage Palms (Sabal palmetto), Desert Fan Palms (Washingtonia filifera) and Needle Palms (Rhapidophyllum hystrix). But always remember palms truly are tropical plants.

As monocots, palms only grow from the growing bud at the palm trunk's top - the heart. If a severe freeze hits, that essential growing point can get damaged or die! Especially with a lengthy freeze.

Freeze damaged palm trees may overcome it - or may not.

Vancouver Canada Snow. Note Immature Palms are Wearing Their Winter Coats!

Well-established palms endure freezes easier.

Young palms won't. They need cold protection.

Freeze injury can kill fronds on the Type of Palm Trees that can't take temps in the low 20s. Like coconut palms.

Freeze damage in palm trees shows itself in various ways. Quickly, obvious signs are leaf browning.

Some signs aren't immediate or they're subtle. After a few more days you may then notice freeze damage. 

Oh No! Didn't See the Forecast?
Young Palm Subjected to Freezing Temps?
Help On the Way! 😊

Different Types of Freeze Injury

There's a difference between cold attack, frost damage & severe freeze injuries.

• Palms may show ill-effects when cold temperatures are just above freezing. Especially when skies are clear.
• Palm frond frost injury happens on still nights with clear skies, as well. Except now temperatures are at or below freezing. Leaf temperatures lower to around 32oF/0oC.
• A hard freeze is when low temperatures dip below 32oF/0oC, with strong winds. Cooling the entire plant.

Evaluate areas of your cold damaged palm trees.

Frosty cold temperatures or damage from freezing temperatures have similar noticeable symptoms. Depending on the Species of Palm Tree, cold winter temp survival varies.

Steps to Help Diagnose Freeze Damaged Palm Trees

Determining freeze damage in palm trees after a cold snap is a good idea. To figure out the proper care your palms will need.

FIRST: ask yourself these questions:

• How long did those low temperatures last? Were there strong winds during the frost/freeze?
• Has your palm recently had enough water? Normal water scheduling helps.
• Are any of your plants new palms?

Second, Look Over Your Palm Trees for Frost Damage

Your palm fronds will be the first sign. Look for the damage from the leaf temperature dropping.

• Affected areas will be obvious. Dead tissue will look brownish/blackish. 
• Possibly just a portion of a frond. Or maybe fully dead leaves.

Yikes! Freeze damaged fronds
on this young Washingtonia robusta in France

Third: Evaluate Palm Trunk for Freeze Damage

With a long deep freeze, palm trunks may have dead tissue from excessive frost damage.

• Reddish, soft, sunken-in splotches.
• Vertical cracks appear along the stem.
• Sometimes an extreme cold-damaged palm trunk won't visibly show anything. But it's affected internally.

This can allow fungal or bacterial attack. If that happens, organisms get inside the stem. They attack, rotting the fluid transport system.

Eventually leads to palm fronds wilting, even death.

Tucson Palm Snowy Story of Winter Cold & it Survived!

Many filifera Fronds Covered by March Snowstorm - Photo: Pam S of Tucson AZ
See This Tucson Palm's Story: CLICK NOW

Years Later This Palm Lives On
Photo: Pam S of Tucson AZ
Click to See this Palm's Harrowing Story

Freeze Damage on Various Palm Tree Parts

Different Parts of Palm Trees are affected by how sensitive they are to cold.

The base of the spear leaf (newly sprouting palm frond) is vulnerable to freeze injury. Bacteria or fungi could attack.

The most sensitive areas for palms enduring extreme cold weather are:

• Spear leaf base (sheath) of new fronds.
• Roots, especially tips.
• New palms - the young seedlings.
• Palm flowers & fruits.

1. (Although rare as their normal growing season is in late spring or early summer.)

Discover if the Palm Growing Point is Freeze-Damaged

Severe freezes can kill the spear leaf base (the sheath) at the bottom of the stem.

That leads to damage at the heart of the palm, which lives under that part. Your palm's life is threatened by fungal/bacterial attack. After a few weeks, the whole spear portion of a frond easily pulls out.

WATCH HIM EASILY PULLING OUT A PALM SPEAR...

Treating & Repairing Freeze Damaged Palm Trees

Once freeze damage is identified, there are several ways to treat and repair affected palm trees. Please do this soon after extreme cold has ended.

Your Palm Diagnosis Help Action
Deciding on Freeze Injury Remedies

To figure out frost injury or extreme cold trauma to your palm, look at older fronds. The lower palm fronds. Do they have brownish discoloring? Even if some green portion remains. Uppermost younger leaves can seem fine.

Then...

• Evaluate the affected area. If normal sections exist, don't immediately remove the leaf, or portion of a frond.
• Keep dead fronds to provide insulation. Protecting the palm heart from strong winds & exposure.

1. Leave them through the winter months. Even through late spring.

Should These Fronds Have Been Cut??

Enlist The Help Of Your Palm Tree Fronds That Survived

Look around the entire crown.

Hopefully you'll see fully or mostly healthy leaves. You'll use them to help the entire palm.

• Foliar Application of soluble micronutrients may be useful. This is one time we'd recommend a spray Mix Suitable for Palms. Apply to undamaged leaves & any newly emerging fronds. Absorption will be minimal. Still better than nothing!

1. Use monthly until new normal growth is in full palmy flow!

• Then apply Granular Palm Fertilizer to help replenish nutrients likely depleted due to freeze damage.

Ask a Pro Your Freeze Weather Palm Question

Are you worried about freeze damaged palm trees?

At a loss for going forward? You're still not sure about freeze or frost damage.

Why not consult with certified arborists or a palm horticulturist in your area? Those familiar with palms can diagnose the extent of the damage. They'll have a treatment plan to help.

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Impact of Freeze Damage on Palm Tree Health

Truly Tropical palms can be damaged even when cold weather temps are above freezing.

Has your palm gradually gotten used to a cold winter? Or was there a sudden overnight drastic cold snap with a low temperature? That's when your palm faces more danger.

Just like people get accustomed to our normal weather - palms do the same. We'd be colder when visiting a frigid climate. Or when unusual freezing temperatures arrive.

The same with palms. Who suffer with a sudden drop into lower temperatures.

Later Effects in Freeze Damaged Palm Trees

The effects of freeze damage on palm tree health go beyond those first visible signs. When a palm tree is exposed to freezing temperatures, its immunity is weakened. Making it more susceptible to Palm Problems.

• Palm health might unexpectedly suffer down the road.
• Did freeze damage impact the roots? Leading to problems getting proper water & nutrients.

When new leaves start growing they may look odd! When developing during freezes, growth resources were lacking. Leaf blades can be abnormally short. Even with dead tissue (necrotic) areas.

Happily, with time, the emerging spear leaf will produce normal palm fronds again.

Protect & Save Palm Trees From Winter Freeze Damage

When a hard freeze strikes, are you prepared to shelter your palm? Certain types of Palms need protection.

Know the toleration for cold temperatures that your species of Palm Tree can endure. Continue watching your weather forecasts during cold winters.

1st Steps: How to Plan Ahead to Protect Palm Tree Purchases

As the saying goes, "Prevention is Better Than Cure."

Thinking ahead when you first plan to Purchase Your Palm is a good thing. Best to plant the right palm in the right place!

Your tips for winter weather injury prevention:

• Choose a palm that's best for Your Own Growing Zone.
• Consider Landscape Planning to situate your palm to protect from strong winds. Overall, look for the best cold-hardy species for your area.

1. For instance review the Pindo Palm.

2nd Steps: Prepare Palms for any Possible Freeze Damage

Weather forecast calling for major cold snap?

Help your palm tree in winter months. By preventing frost/freeze damage. Prevention Tips:

• Be sure it's had proper fertilizing. With all needed nutrients on board, palms are better resistant to frost damage.

1. Best is Palm Specific Fertilizer. With proper proportions of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium-magnesium (As close as possible to: 8-2-12 ratio, Like This One>), plus added micronutrients. 
2. Water soluble in sulfate form is ideal. Or controlled release, for effective absorption.

• Protect the palm from winter damage with an "overcoat" - just like you'd do if you go out in frosty weather!

1. Use a Canvas or Fabric Cover or a Plant Blanket.

• Mulch Around the Planting area gives some protection. Helps maintain higher soil temps.

Takeaways for Freeze Damaged Palm Trees

Freeze damage can have significant effects on the health and beauty of palm trees. From browning leaves to weakened immunity, to eventual stunted growth. The impact can be far-reaching.

Regular maintenance & proper care help vitalize palm resistance to a sudden drop to low temperatures. Preventive measures are best. With the right care & proactive attention, you'll be good to go.

We hope we've armed you in protecting your palm trees from freeze damage. Plus learning to assess & treat any freeze damaged palm trees. 

When in doubt, don't hesitate to consult with "tree doctors." 

And remember, a palm can bring tropical beauty to surprisingly chilly climates.

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