Re: Grooves in trunk of palm tree

"JimR" <jimr@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:13j4mkum4hibj88@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> "JimR" <jimr@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
> news:13j21id8ptej9e@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> > "Sammy bin Snoozin" <SammyBinSnoozin@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in
message
> > news:A8oXi.16179$Rg1.11432@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > I think this is a king palm (not 100% sure). Here are some photos
I just
> > took today to show a possible problem.  Up until today I thought
this was
> > normal, but when I push on the tree, it sway very easily and I can
see the
> > trunk move at the ground.  Nothing appears wet or eaten by
insects -
> > everything I can see and touch is hard like a normal tree.
> >
> > Anyway, anyone who can share some info about this tree - is this
normal or
> > not, etc - would be very much appreciated.
> >
> Going to work this morning I noticed a palm enroute that is very
similar to
> the one in your picture.  In this one, the fissures go from the
ground to
> about 5-6 feet height.  I still think this may be the early stages
of
> ganoderma butt rot.
>
> Info is available at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PP100
>
> Included in their summary:
>
> -- Ganoderma butt rot is caused by the fungus Ganoderma zonatum.
This fungus
> degrades or rots the lower 4-5 feet of the trunk.
>
> -- There are currently no cultural or chemical controls for
preventing the
> disease or for curing the disease once the palm is infected.
>
> -- A palm cannot be diagnosed with Ganoderma butt rot until the
basidiocarp
> (conk) forms on the trunk, or the internal rotting of the trunk is
observed
> after the palm is cut down.
>
> -- Because the fungus survives in the soil, planting another palm
back in
> that same location is not recommended.

Thanks, JR.

"The fungus that causes the disease is distributed throughout Florida,
from Key West to Jacksonville to Pennsacola. It is also known to occur
in Georgia and South Carolina." -- could be it I guess.  I'm in Calif
though.

I've had a call in to Ag Ext for several days.  I was told that
commercial ag problems get first prioirty and then home gardening
questions. They really understaffed these days.