Queen Palm Pest and Disease Management

Diagnosing Spots, Scale, and Uneven Growth in Queen Palms

Fifteen queen palms show brown spots, white/silver residue on frond skeletons, and two same-age palms grow at vastly different rates—one sickly.

Three Issues, Three Fixes

1. White residue = scale. Treat with horticultural oil.
2. Brown spots = common fungus. Spray copper fungicide on new fronds; old ones stay spotted until pruned.
3. Uneven growth = normal for queens. But sickly one likely has nutrient deficiency. Stop using stakes—they only feed adjacent roots. Broadcast granular palm fertilizer at 1 lb per inch trunk diameter, evenly from drip line inward.

Never remove fronds until completely yellow.