Expert: Greg Simpson - 12/30/2007

Question
I've has my plant for three years. It's 3 feet tall. I purchased from Florida, I live central Alabama. I was proud of my care of the plant, the plant has grown about a foot. This year I left it outside when Fall hit. The top portion of the plant appears to be rotting and soft in between the spines. Is it too late to save my unusual cactus palm?

Answer
Tonya,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. If the stem of the plant is soft, try cutting it off about 2 inches below the soft part. If the rot has not spread to the roots, it should branch after it heals from just below the cut area sometime this growing season. Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Greg