| PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILED INFORMATION ON HOW TO SAVE MY 2 SICK MAJESTIC PALMS. THEY WERE ABOUT 4 FT TALL IN 5 GAL POTS AND VERY GREEN WHEN PURCHASED SOME WEEKS AGO. EXPOSING THEM TO FULL SUN CAUSED THE LEAVES TO TURN BROWN. SINCE THERE WERE SIGNS OF NEW GREEN GROWTH, THE BROWN LEAVES WERE TRIMED OFF, BUT REGULAR WATERING CONTINUED. QUESTION WHAT CARE SHOULD BE EXERCISED FROM THIS POINT ON? |
| Sounds as though your plants suffered a real shock. I suspect they had been grow under shade cloth at the nursery and the sudden move into full sun was more than the leaves could tolerate. Now that you've trimmed off the dead fronds, all you need to do is wait for the plants to become accustomed to their new homes. Water when the top of the soil feels dry. As the new leaves emerge they will be more apt to tolerate the sun exposure they are receiving and shouldn't react so adversely. Ravenea rivularis is a beautiful feather-leafed palm whose symetrical form and smooth, flared trunk combine to create living sculpture for the landscape. For the same reason Majesty palm has become a popular plant for indoors as well. Smaller specimens are vigorously marketed as houseplants while larger plants are common inhabitants of office and shopping mall interiors. This palm is such an item of commerce that even its common name, Majesty, is a trademark. Alan Meerow, author of "Guide To Landscape Palms" reports that there is confusion as to the identy of Majesty palm. Usually identified as R. rivularis, he suspects that this palm is actually R. glauca, a smaller palm growing to less than 20 feet in height (R. rivularis grows to about 40 feet). Tolerant of many different soil types but needs sufficient fertilizer to look its best - feed every 3 months or whenever its deep green color begins to fade. Light: Majesty palm will grow in bright sunny areas but tends to look better in partly shaded areas as an understory plant. Moisture: Needs moisture, water when dry. Hardiness: USDA Zones 9 - 11. This palm is not frost tolerant. |
