Hurricane Ian came ashore on Wednesday, September 28 and left significant damage throughout many coastal areas. While many have resumed normal life, many others continue to cleanup and recover. While you may not live in an area that experienced what Southwest Florida did, you may have a casualty of Ian on your property and not be aware of it.
Many palm species are well adapted to windstorms; however, constant wind from a hurricane can damage and kill even the most tolerant species. The growing point of a palm is the bud or heart. It is found at the top of the trunk surrounded by the leaf bases. If the bud is severely damaged, new leaves will not develop and the palm will eventually die.
It is important to note, the palm bud is not accessible for inspection and damage may not be immediately visible. It is difficult to predict if a palm will die or recover. Damaged palms may begin to drop fronds quickly or not at all, while new leaves may not look normal. The signs and results of damage may first be visible in six months, but it can take one to two years for the palm to either recover or finally die.
We will continue to monitor palms on our properties. If you have a concern about your palms, please reach out to us today.