"JimR" wrote in message
...

"JimR" wrote in message
...

"Sammy bin Snoozin" wrote in
message
news:A8oXi.16179$Rg1.11432@trnddc05...
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.