By Joel Crippen - professional horticulturist and gardening consultant, JoelPlantsman@bellsouth.net

Driving around our area you can't help but notice all the coconut palms with brown and drooping fronds. These are one of the last hanging reminders that we experienced an unusually cold winter.

Long periods of cold and drying winds scorched the fronds by drawing out vital moisture from the tender plant tissue. Although most of this damage is visible and the tree can be expected to make a full recovery, some of it is a lot more serious.

It is thought that 10 to 20 percent of coconuts may be infected and possibly killed from a type of bud rot fungus of the tree's crown (the center where the new fronds emerge).

The condition was caused from water freezing in the palm crowns and damaging the tender new leaf growth. The ice then thaws but is trapped making an ideal breeding ground for the fungus which attacks the already damaged crown. In many cases the palms will recover over time, in other cases, if not treated soon enough the palms will die.

Mike Zimmerman, president and owner of Zimmerman Tree Service, said that the condition is treatable if caught early enough. In many cases, homeowners wait until the tops fall out of the trees before seeking help.

Although coconut palms appear to be the type of palms mostly affected they are not the only palms susceptible so make a scrutinized inspection of all your palms.

Concerned tree owners should consider treating all your coconuts preventatively since waiting to treat obviously ill trees may be too late to save them. Treatment consists of drenching the crown of the palms with a copper-based fungicide, available at most garden centers.

This is not hard to do if the trees are small but for larger trees it could be messy and dangerous, in which case, a professional should be consulted.

In all cases, remove the obviously dead fronds once the petiole (leaf stem) is entirely brown. Increasing irrigation and a feeding with a palm type fertilizer can go a long way to improving the health of your trees. Weakened trees are more vulnerable to attack by other pests, including the leaf hopper (Myndus crudus) which vectors the dreaded LY (lethal yellowing) disease.

General nutrition and irrigation is a start and considering having your trees treated for bud rot, sprayed for insects or injected with an antibiotic against LY is another. If in doubt consult your landscape maintenance provider, pest control service or tree professional, such as, Zimmerman Tree Service at www.ZimmermanTreeService.com or (561) 968-1045.

Joel Crippen is a professional horticulturist and gardening consultant in West Palm Beach. You can e-mail him at JoelPlantsman@bellsouth.net.