8Majesty palm leaves turning brown symptoms appear on your plants even after putting so much care on them. The majesty palm plants are native to Madagascar and require mimicking that environment to keep them healthy.
Some factors modifying your majestic plants include poor lighting, nutrient deficiency, aging, and more.
Read on to learn what could be affecting your palm variety and how to solve such issues.
Contents
What Causes for Majesty Palm Leaves Turning Brown?
The majesty palm plant leaves are turning brown because of insufficient nutrition, pests, dehydration, poor lighting, and overwatering. On another note, it may even be due to aging, lack of humidity, excess fertilizers in the soil, and wrong planting dept.
– Insufficient Nutrition
The palm variety requires a lot of input to keep it healthy. For this reason, it can be challenging for new and experienced gardeners to keep at par with the growth requirements. A common problem incurred when growing the majesty palm is insufficient nutrition.
Potassium, magnesium, nitrogen, manganese, copper, zinc, calcium, and boron are important nutrients for growing this palm. Unfortunately, some of these minerals are lacking in the soil used for planting the majesty tree.
Without checking the soil profile of the area, gardeners proceed with feeding their plants with regular fertilizers. These fertilizers are manufactured while focusing on the NPK ratio. It means having higher ratios of phosphorus to that of potassium.
Suppose the soil lacks most of the nutrients for growing the majestic palm. In that case, the fertilizer rarely fixes the problem as it lacks other mineral content. With nutrients deficiency, the plants are poorly fed and start showing it through their leaves.
The tips start becoming brown and crispy, gradually spreading to the rest of the healthy part of the leaf. Other than a lack of nutrients in the soil, a high pH in the soil, poor soil aeration, and too much planting depth are other causes of nutritional deficiency.
– Pests
Naturally, the majestic palms are tough and resilient to different elements. As a result, insects and pests do not consider it an attractive food source. However, in its weak state, the plant becomes susceptible to attacks by spider mites and other sap-sucking bugs.
The palm plant becomes weak when its conditions for growth are compromised. When weak, the spider mites take the opportunity to sack the sap from the leaves, leaving them turning yellow. The mites eventually move to other parts of the plant after sucking the leaves.
A lack of enough sap worsens the plant’s condition from the lack of conducive growth conditions. The majestic palm will then start drying and turning brown. These bugs feed on your palm’s sap, turning its foliage yellow. If your plant has insufficient nutrients, poor lighting, and dehydration, the effects become dire, turning them from yellow to brown.
– Dehydration
As a tropical plant, this palm variety requires enough water to keep it looking vibrant. When planted in outdoor spaces, a lot of watering is required. They should typically be watered daily, especially during spring and summer.
You know your plant is dehydrated when the leaves start turning brown and crisping at the tips. Another sign that the majesty palm plant is dehydrated is the drying out of the soil it has been planted on. The dryness can be visual, or a touch of the soil feels dry.
– Poor Lighting
This tropical plant requires exposure to full sunlight. However, when the sun’s temperatures are too high, the palm starts experiencing sunburns. These make the leaves start turning brown and prolonged exposure can cause death.
Majesty palm leaves turning brown is often associated with outdoor palms due to the lack of control of the natural weather elements. However, indoor palms, too, can turn brown.
– Overwatering
It is a common problem with indoor plants. Overwatering often occurs because the soil in the pots can only drain a limited amount of water.
Signs of overwatering include dark-brown spots (leaf spots) that are usually round and soft. When the plant sits on the water for too long, its roots also start rotting and become prone to fungal infection. Another effect of overwatering includes dehydration.
The effect seems unrealistic since the plant is soaked in water. But dehydration occurs when the roots start rotting and can no longer absorb enough water from the soil to feed the palm.
– Aging
When all the growth conditions are right, and pests do not infest your majesty palm, you may want to consider aging as a reason. On the other hand, this shows that your plant has been developing and it is showing you stress signs.
You can easily determine that the majesty palm leaves turning brown results from aging from the leaves that turn. That is, when leaves from the base are the ones turning, it means they are old.
Palms start shedding them off, so they can grow others. On another note, for the shedding to take place, the old leaves must die, which means that they can naturally detach from the front.
Majesty palm leaves turning from aging should not cause alarm since most plants undergo this process as their defense and survival mechanism.
– Lack of Humidity
The native environment for this plant is humid. No, humidity does not mean enough watering of the plant. Instead, it is the amount of moisture in the environment. Most places have low humidity, and this aspect is often overlooked when planting the palms.
Gardeners forget about their air conditioners, fans, and dehumidifiers that are often running while planting these plants indoors. Others forget about their laundry vents and plant the palms near them anyway.
Because the moisture in their new environments is way lower than what they are used to, the palms’ foliage starts browning and drooping. And the problem becomes challenging, especially when other growth conditions are at par.
– Excess Fertilizer
Chemicals are unsuspicious culprits that make the leaves of your majesty palms turn brown. These chemicals can be present in water (chlorine) and cleaning agents.
You can unknowingly be feeding your outdoor palm with excess chlorine and other chemicals used in treating tap water and contributing to its browning of leaves.
Water is not the only source of chemical contamination for indoor majesty palms. Cleaning agents and air fresheners are other sources of these chemicals. When not identified on time, the chemicals cause browning and can lead to the drying of the plant.
– Wrong Planting Depth
Planting depth can seem obvious to experienced gardeners. To new and intermediate gardeners, this aspect may not seem that important. But it makes a great deal while planting majesty palms.
Planting this palm in the wrong depth can lead to the browning of the leaves from the front. That is, when you plant it too deep, the plant strains to get enough water and nutrients for survival.
It also lacks sufficient aeration since the roots are planted unusually deep. You can identify a palm tree that is planted too deep by assessing the level of its root ball. If it is covered with soil, the depth is too much.
Shallow planting exposes the roots to the surface. While exposed, the roots get stressed from the fluctuations of weather elements. The stress results in the majesty palm leaves turning brown.
How to Fix Majesty Palm Leaves Turning Brown?
You can fix the majesty palm leaves from turning brown by adjusting the location of the plant, giving the soil aeration, adjusting a watering schedule, tackling the pests. In addition, increase the humidity, use distilled water, and place the right pot. Also, don’t forget to fertilize it well.
– Correct Placement
Most gardeners will confuse bright sunlight with hot sun exposure. Although the palm is used to exposure to full sun, it cannot withstand prolonged exposure to heat. Ensure you plant yours in an area where some shade does not hinder sunlight.
– Soil Aeration
Some soil types have excellent aeration. So, they tend to dry out fast on the surface while they could be retaining some moisture beneath. Consider using a wooden stick or your finger to determine whether the soil is dry.
A moisture meter is also good for testing if you have one. Furthermore, this is a big sign that the soil has gotten very much compact and the plant’s soil requires more care and nurishment.
If you have confirmed the soil is dry, serve your palm with a generous drink. Soak the soil with water and allow it to drain slowly. After quenching, repeat the process daily to save it from going back to turning brown.
– Watering Schedule
Overwatering is often a result of poor drainage. Ensure your potting soil is not dense and that it is well aerated. This quality ensures that the water does not retain when feeding your palms.
The pots can also be the reason why overwatering is happening. Check if they have outlets to allow excess water to drain from the soil. If they do not have drainage holes, consider getting new ones with this feature and repot your plants.
Pot palms do not require a lot of water like those planted outdoors. If you water yours too frequently, consider minimizing the frequency to prevent the effects of overwatering.
Consider pruning the affected leaves to prevent the infection from spreading. Disinfecting the pruning tools is recommended. Discard the foliage after you are done with the pruning to avoid infecting other healthy parts and plants. Do not forget to wash and disinfect your hands after pruning and discarding the foliage before handling other plants.
Fungicides are also helpful in preventing the spread of fungal infections. It is a supplement solution that cannot work if your plants remain soaked in water.
– Tackling the Pests
Spider mites are often attracted to dry environments. You can keep your palm healthy by misting it with a spray bottle to maintain its humidity.
Alternatively, a moist towel is a good tool for ensuring the palm remains moist. Wipe the top and underneath the leaves with the towel frequently to destroy the desired dry habitat of the mites.
If pest infestation was the problem and you got rid of them, it can be because you are not properly replicating the native requirements for the palms’ growth. Cutting browning leaves helps to keep spider mites away. These bugs are often attracted to dry foliage, and it is all bad news once they get on your palms.
– Increase the Humidity
Once you realize that the browning is happening as a result of low humidity, you can try a few things. For indoor plants, consider placing them in humid areas. These include near the bathroom, in the basement, or near your kitchen. These spaces often have high humidity and can help keep your palm’s vibrancy.
Another alternative is regularly misting your majesty plants using a spray bottle. The approach is ideal for indoor and outdoor plants. Be careful when using this method to avoid soaking the foliage, which can lead to fungal infection.
Reviving a dying majesty palm involves replicating the native environment and ensuring the tree has everything it needs to grow. But if you hope to revive browning leaves, the process is irreversible, and you must wait for fresh ones to grow.
– Proper Pruning
The process is quite straightforward, and nothing much is expected from you. However, if you find the turning unappealing, consider pruning your majesty palms. Use scissors or shears to help you with the pruning. Since the aging leaves cannot recover, cut from the base, but do not touch the stem.
You do not have to cut the entire leaf to the front when only the tips have turned brown. Consider trimming the crisp tips to maintain the aesthetics of your plant.
– Use Distilled Water
To prevent feeding your palms with chemicals from water, avoid using tap water for the feed. Instead, use rainwater, purified or distilled water for quenching your majesty palms. But is the solution sustainable?
Not for all gardeners. In some areas, switching to distilled or purified water means digging a bit deeper into your pockets. For rain water, it can be practiced through water harvesting.
So, how do you deal with watering the palms without hurting your pockets? By fetching your tap water and allowing it to sit for some time before feeding it to your palms. It gives time for most of the chemicals to evaporate since they are highly volatile. The evaporation leaves you with safer water that is less harmful to your plants.
For cleaning agents, consider moving your plant pots when cleaning to avoid contact with the plants. Keep your palms in spaces with sufficient airflow when using air fresheners to minimize chemical intake.
– Proper Fertilization
Consider feeding your palms frequently to curb nutrient deficiency. The best approach in feeding is by profiling your soil to check the lacking minerals necessary for your palms’ growth. It will help you get the right fertilizer instead of using regular ones.
You can also use salts with fertilizers to supplement the missing minerals for a healthy feed.
When using fertilizers, avoid overfeeding the plants, as it can cause another problem – mineral toxicity. If you are not sure about the quantity, you can ask a professional or another gardening enthusiast about how much is required. Ensure to let them know the size of your plant for candid advice.
– Proper Potting
Majesty palms planted with the wrong depths can easily recover when the mistake is realized early. To correct the plating depth, uproot the palms and replant them, adhering to the depth of the originally planted area.
When the depth is correct, strain is reduced, allowing the plant to recover and grow new foliage. Ensure you keep the growth requirements optimal for good results.
Conclusion
Majesty palms are truly vibrant, and their tropical is irresistible. When browning starts occurring on its leaves, it can devastate you since all the beauty you are used to is compromised.
Here’s how you can save your majesty palms:
- Feed your palm with salts and fertilizers containing the nutrients lacking in the soil. Avoid overwatering to prevent root rot and fungal infection.
- Ensure your plant is exposed to full sunlight while avoiding the hot sun to protect it from sunburns.
- Protect your plant from chemicals by avoiding tap water and keeping it away from cleaning agents.
You can find inspiration from this information if you are a palm lover and want to plant this variety. Get your tools ready and start planting the majestic palms to create the vibrancy you have always wanted for your backyard.
References
- https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/palm-diseases-nutritional-problems/
- https://www.nparks.gov.sg/FloraFaunaWeb/Flora/2/5/2586
- https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/PP142
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