spiking palms

james

Can anyone tell me about any specific pest or diseases that can infest palms, especially the queens or cocos palm, after spikes have wounded the trunk ? I've been using spikes for years and have never seen any problems, apart from holes, and customers haven't once questioned this method of cleaning up the heads (Sydney). I need this infomation for an assignment I'm doing at Tafe. Thank you

Eric Frei

Hard to be specific.

I doubt a pest would infect the palm via a spike wound, pest as in bug.

But fungi can.

Look at the old wounds from years ago, are some rotted out a little or a lot?

Hard to nail which specific fungi though and I have never ever seen a fruiting body of any fungi at the wound even if rotted. Cocos palms are tough, tougher than say alex's etc.

Palms do not grow in girth like trees, so the wounds are there forever. I have seen spike wounds in eucs grow over in 3 years, you'd never know they were spiked.

Now down in sydney you have Fusarium wilt of palms, not sure cocos is affected .... maybe a phone call could answer that question.

Fusarium wilt of palms - Botanic Gardens Trust - Sydney, Australia

Aslo here some information rather useful.


Source: PACSOA - Pests and Diseases II
So walking around with spurs on if soil is infected could result in you innoculating the tree with those fungi.

__________________

Jeffrey Lovstrom

Never seen a coco with fusarium. Mostly pink rot and coconut mite. We don't spike cocos.
Jeff

james

Thanks alot for your answers, your've given me another direction for my assignment, I've seen Fusarium oxysporum mostly in phoenix palm spp. (possibly Washingtonias) and we are careful enough to sterilize our equipment after removals of affected palms. What I am interested in is any recommendations on fungicids that I could apply to spike wounds ?

Jeffrey Lovstrom

I really doubt it. If anything, you might feel better spiking them if you sterilize your spikes between palms. Like I said, we don't spike them.
Jeff

Jeffrey Lovstrom

Never seen Fusarium in a washingtonia. Mainly Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canarienses).
Jeff

Bowani Siam

The Fusarium that affects the Washingtonia is different to the pathogen that affects Syagrus and Phoenix. But all three can be affected.

James, you can see a good example (if good is the right word) of deaths in a Phoenix canariensis row in Five Dock Park. There are also a few affected Cocos in Huntley's Pt Rd as well (under the Gladesville Bridge)

Bowani Siam

ooohh here is a good website if you haven't already checked it out

PP278/PP278: Fusarium Wilt of Queen Palm and Mexican Fan Palm

P.S. It is SUCH A SHAME when those lovely majestic Cocos Palms die....................................................................

Eric Frei

I'm giving a few a permanent clean.

Source:- Trees Take Asprin When They Feel Sick.

__________________

Bowani Siam

hahahahahahah "it's alright Mrs Stevenson, I'm just going to trim the top off for you"

On a lesser hilarious note, a friend of mine lives next door to a chick who got four Foxtails taken out because some dude 'gardener' thought they were Cocos. I f***ing hate Cocos.