Foxtail Palm Tree Disease?

Question:My foxtail palm tree may have bud rot or fusarium wilt. Is there any way to save the tree?

Answers:
There is no cure for fusarium wilt in Foxtail Plam Trees, only prevention.

For bud rot of juvenile palms, bud drenches are appropriate since the bud is readily accessible. Unless bud rot is caught very early in a juvenile palm, the palm usually dies. Bud rot caused by Phytophthora can be controled with products containing the active ingredients fosetyl-Al, mefenoxam or propamocarb. Propamocarb is for use in container nurseries only. For bud rot caused by Thielaviopsis, products containing the active ingredient thiophanate-methyl is recommended. If it is not clear from the laboratory diagnosis which pathogen is causing the disease, then mixtures of these products that conform to the label could be used. A product that is already a mixture of fungicides effective against both pathogens, for use on nursery crops only, is Banrot® (active ingredients etridiazole and thiophanate-methyl) . As with the other fungicides, it should be applied as a bud drench. Etridiazole is a contact fungicide, whereas all the other fungicides listed are systemic fungicides. All fungicides must be used according to the label.

Disease management of mature palms with bud rot is more difficult. This is especially true of palms in the landscape or field nursery when the palms have trunks that are too tall to allow for an easy view of the bud and emerging leaves. Again, unless the bud rot is caught very early, the palm usually dies. If the spear leaf is missing and no new leaves are emerging or you can pull the spear from the bud, the palm should be removed immediately. It is only acting as a source of fungal spores for infecting the surrounding palms. Since the bud is already dead on these palms, no fungicides would be recommended.

While no research has been conducted on mature palms, fungicides may be useful as a preventive measure on palms in close proximity to a palm that has died from bud rot. For Phytophthora bud rot, a soil or bud drench with products containing the active ingredient mefenoxam may be effective, as may a bud drench with the active ingredient fosetyl-Al. For Thielaviopsis bud rot, a soil or bud drench with thiophanate-methyl may be effective as a preventive measure