A: This fungal disease is unfortunately one that doesn't have a treatment and is lethal to the palm. After you remove the plant, avoid planting another palm in the area because the fungus is in the ground permanently. All palms are considered susceptible. One of the early symptoms is a white button-like projection on the trunk and a sickly looking palm. This white growth can be removed by hand to keep the fungal spores from dispersing but will not affect disease progression. Conks will eventually form on the trunk near the soil.

In general, to reduce the chance of palms and trees dying from trunk rot diseases, make sure that the trunk is not injured. Avoid using string trimmers and lawn mowers near the plants or driving nails into trees. Avoid piling mulch up against the base of plants.

Q: Our fishtail palm is dying. There are many seedpods, which seemed to sprout overnight.

E.W., North Miami

A: Your palm is going through a natural process. A few species of palms produce flowers, set seed and then die. These are called monocarpic palms. If your palm is a solitary fishtail palm, the whole tree will die after flowering. If yours is the clustering (clumping) fishtail palm (Caryota mitis), each stem will die after flowering and producing seeds but new shoots will continue to replace the dying stems. When the clustering fishtail palm flowers, it starts near the top of the stem and continues downward. Other monocarpic palms are the talipot palm (Corypha umbraculifera), dwarf sugar palm (Arenga tremula), gebang palm (Corypha utan), as well as other uncommonly grown palms.

Adrian Hunsberger is an entomologist/horticulturist with the UF/

IFAS Miami-Dade Extension office. Write to Plant Clinic, 18710 SW 288th St., Homestead, FL 33030; e-mail aghu@ifas.ufl.edu.