Orange or Yellow Bottom Palm Fronds Signal Removal Time

Q. The bottom layer of palm fronds turned an orange - yellow color almost overnight. Is this from too much water or not enough water?

Color change if the fronds of this Canary Island palm signals the owner to remove them.

A. Neither, the cause of it turning orange or yellow is natural. These orange and yellow colors are natural, masked by the strong green color that the chlorophyll provides. We see the same color changes in leaves in the fall color of trees.

            The bottom layer of fronds die a natural death. As these lower fronds approach death due to old age and shade, some of the minerals in the leaves are absorbed back into the palm, first turning the lower fronds orange or yellow and eventually brown. Sometimes these color changes occur quickly and other times more slowly.

            The nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium move out of the frond first followed by magnesium, chlorine, zinc and molybdenum. Lesser mobile nutrients are left behind which include sulfur, iron, boron, and copper. These would be the dominant minerals remaining if these palm fronds were used to make compost. This color change is your signal to cut and remove palm fronds.