Asked on Aug 20, 2012

Palm tree is shedding the bark. What to do?

Alex
by Alex
Otherwise, it looks healthy. See pictures. Thank you.
  12 answers
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Aug 21, 2012
    If there are no other issues with your sabal palm, Alex, I would attribute that to a "normal abnormality" in the plant. You can read more about these here: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep344
  • Alex Alex on Aug 21, 2012
    Mr. Hunt: Read the link. Looks like the "trunk erosion" explanation. Looks ugly but has set my mind at ease. Thank you for the link.
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Aug 22, 2012
    You're welcome, Alex.
  • James Bryan C James Bryan C on Oct 24, 2013
    Alex this is a natural occurrence in the palm tree you photographed. The tree is a cabbage palm tree and the bark is more of a fiber mesh than a real bark, this "tree" is not really a tree but in the same family as the palmetto. The exposed lower "trunk" grows as the head of the palm up top drops it's limbs or fronds. This tree is also edible. You can cut the top out and eat the heart or the palm much like you would a boiled cabbage. The Seminole Indians used it as well as other early tribes and taught the early "Crackers" of Florida Crackers how to survive in the swamps by eating the cabbage palm. There is a festival the first week in April about 60 miles north of you in Crescent City Florida that serves the best catfish and cabbage palms AKA Swamp Cabbage... I am originally from Florida and we used to use the frons to make the best "forts" and sleeping quarters rain tight...
  • Joy Schwartz Joy Schwartz on Nov 30, 2013
    Hey Alex in Orlando.. just want to know what the base of the palm looks like at the surface area where it enters the ground. Are the lava rock and curbing newly added, or has it always been that way?
  • Gregory Gregory on Sep 15, 2016
    my king palm is peeling its skin from the bottom up. There are black splotchy patches on the skin as well. the palms have started to go brown and I have cut out and treated with Organiced 3to1 fungal and insect trmt
  • Gregory Gregory on Sep 15, 2016
    King palm is peeling it's own bark, and palm branches are turning black, i have treated with 3to1 Organicide any help out there?
  • June stone June stone on Sep 13, 2018

    The bark at base of queen Palm will bend away from trunk, outward. Should you remove this from trunk or leave it as protection from cooler weather

  • Margie Margie on Apr 26, 2019

    I have 20 year old palmetto tree that bottom trunk has green mold and bark is pulling away from tree. Should I be worried and what to do. It looks ok at top.

  • Kara Kara on May 18, 2022

    Hi Alex,

    My cat has used my palm houseplant for a scratching post a few days after I got it as a gift. It’s not too deep, however, there is a nice size of it scratched off on 2/3 trunks! What are your suggestions for fixing or healing those areas?

    I now put it on my kitchen counter when I leave the house or I’m sleeping!

    Thanks in Advance,

    Kara

  • Romaone Romaone on Oct 02, 2022

    Hurricane Ian blow bark off the pine tree. Can we save the tree?