How much space is required by the golden cane palm, especially if it’ll be grown close to the walls or fences?
The Golden cane palm is non-invasive. This means that the root system doesn’t spread outward so much.
You can confidently plant it near the fence, home foundations, and swimming pools.
Golden cane palm has a thin and fibrous root system that forms big mats that restrains them from spreading out and invading underground pipes, home foundations, and underground structures — except there’s already a leak somewhere.
The care and management of a Golden Cane palm are vital for its survival. Proper fertilization and watering are essential to its healthy growth.
Care should also include regular cleaning of dead fronds. Overwatering can cause the palm to rot and die.
Its root system is remarkably deep and complex.
However, a little knowledge about the plant’s needs will make your task easier. Here are some tips to grow a healthy golden cane palm.
How to Maintain The Roots of Golden Cane Palm
To maintain the health of your golden cane palm, it is important to know how to manage its root system. Golden Cane palms require plenty of water and should not be neglected.
Trimming off excess stems and suckers can help control growth, but they may not prevent the roots from heading toward the water.
To prevent the palm from spreading throughout your yard, place it in a pot.
Because golden cane palm roots tend to spread throughout the soil, potting it will prevent them from encroaching on your landscaping.
Golden Canes should be planted away from paths, pools, and houses. It is essential to water it regularly and fertilize it. However, it may need some extra attention if you live in an area with high humidity or extreme temperatures.
However, it will still thrive if it receives plenty of light. In addition to watering, you must check for pest infestations whenever you water your plant. If the problem persists, consider replanting.
A properly-tended golden cane palm can thrive in full to part shade. It can grow in a variety of soils but prefers moist, well-drained soil.
Once established, it is easy to take care of its root system, but you must take care of it to prevent it from spreading. The palm is very easy to transplant, so if you want to plant it, consider buying a large plant.
How to Care for Golden Cane Palm
The Golden Cane palm grows up to 6 meters high. It has no central trunk, instead, it forms several stems from the base.
This palm’s leaves die off at the bottom, but it has a tendency to shoot off numerous suckering stems.
The inflorescence and fruits are yellow. The leaves and stalks of the Golden Cane palm are both ornamental and useful. They are great for screening plants, windbreaks, and canopies.
If you want to grow this plant indoors, it needs high humidity. Several houseplants will produce a high humidity level in your home. If you’d like to keep the humidity up, even more, you can place a pebble water tray in a room.
A tray filled with water can also help moisten your leaves. As a bonus, plants exude moisture when they breathe.
Keep your palm potbound when not in use to avoid disturbing it.
The Golden Cane’s shallow roots are not suited for lawns. If you want to grow this palm in a garden bed, make sure it has well-drained soil. Water a small indoor potted plant once or twice a week or every other day. When it grows in a mature pot, soak it in a half-filled sink for about five minutes to avoid root rot.
Fertilization of Golden Cane Palm
The best way to fertilize a golden cane palm is to add a slow-release organic fertilizer to the soil during spring.
Choose a product containing the seaweed extract, nutrients, calcium, magnesium, and nitrogen, and balance the amount to give your palm the nutrients it needs.
A slow-release organic fertilizer is available at garden centers and can be mixed with fish emulsion or seaweed.
While growing a golden cane palm, you must remember to keep it away from drafts, which can harm the plant. Make sure to water your new plant thoroughly, and be sure to mist it at least twice a week.
Watering the golden cane palm at least once a week is essential. You can use liquid fertilizer in the spring and summer to keep the leaves looking healthy. You should also check the roots periodically and cut off yellowing or dead fronds as soon as they appear.
Ensure the soil temperature is 65 degrees Fahrenheit or above. Lower soil temperatures reduce root growth.
Raise it above that temperature to promote new growth. The Golden Cane palm prefers a well-drained, moist, and rich soil. In addition, if your palm is shaded, it can grow in a container with no direct sunlight. If your golden cane palm is planted in the shade, remember to fertilize it regularly.
Dangers of overwatering the Golden Cane Palm
When watering your Golden cane palm, check its roots thoroughly. If there is no visible damage, you can assume that the roots are healthy.
If they are not, water them more often. However, if you notice blotchy spotting on the cane, then the roots may have become damaged.
This problem is usually related to dry periods. Adding a bit of soil can help, but avoid using soil that contains the added fertilizer. You can clean the liners to remove minerals that may be built up.
If the leaves on your cane have become damaged, you should prune them off one by one until new growth appears at the base of the crown. Once the watering condition improves, the new leaves will continue to appear. A healthy root system means new growth is forming.
And once the new growth has appeared, it’s a sign that the plant is recovering. If the cutting is new, it may be necessary to dip it in rooting hormone powder.
A balanced liquid fertilizer is also necessary for your golden cane palm. Depending on the climate and light, water the palm once or twice a week.
You can apply it on the base or near the palm. You should also apply worm castings to the topsoil near the palm. Add a bit of this to the topsoil around it, before planting the palm. Do not forget to fertilize your palm regularly.
Diseases of the Golden Cane Palm
The fungus attacks the root system of the Golden cane palm in two stages. First, it enters the trunk and reaches the conk, where it moves from the trunk to the outside. Then, it slowly degrades the tree, causing it to die.
Later, the disease spreads from the lower center of the palm to the outside. The cause of the disease is unknown.
But it is likely to be triggered by wounds or external environmental factors. Symptoms of this disease include premature fruit drop and older leaves turning brown, gray, or yellow.
Fortunately, the root system diseases of the Golden cane palm are easily controlled with a proper preventive maintenance program. Pesticides can be applied to the affected areas to kill the pests.
But if you do not have the appropriate chemicals, you will have to destroy the entire palm tree. Besides killing the pests, you should also check your palms for the presence of fungus.
There are various natural and synthetic fertilizers that are effective against fungus and other pests.
Another disease of the Golden cane palm is a fungus called Ganoderma. This disease affects both healthy and diseased palms. It is known as “butt rot” in the continental U.S., and its natural geographic range matches that of the native sabal palm.
While healthy, non-symptomatic mature palms can be transplanted out of the diseased area. Once infected, the diseased palm will spread out of its natural habitat and can kill the entire plant.
Nutrient deficiency
If you’ve been wondering how to fix a nutrient deficiency in golden cane, you need to understand its root system.
The plant needs a certain amount of potassium and magnesium to remain healthy. When it’s deficient in one of these two nutrients, it begins to lose its green color and produces yellow and brown leaves.
To fix this problem, use a slow-release fertilizer with magnesium to balance potassium and magnesium levels in the soil. This way, the palm gets continued feeding over a period of months.
The symptoms of nutrient deficiencies depend on the source of the problem. The most common type is potassium deficiency.
When the palm gets too little potassium, it develops yellow and orange spots on its leaves, especially on new growth.
In severe cases, it may also be deficient in magnesium, resulting in a decrease in leaf color and a yellowish tinge to the leaves.
The best way to fix a nutrient deficiency in the golden cane is to apply a sulfur-coated potassium sulfate or slow-release magnesium to the soil.
Applied at least four times a year, a potassium supplement is effective and inexpensive. In addition to this, magnesium sulfate can also be applied to the leaves.
Manganese deficiency is an extremely serious issue for palm trees, as it can kill the plants.
Conclusion
As you can see from this article, the golden cane palm plant is a non-invasive plant.
Its root system is manageable and will not destroy your foundations and underground pipes. Fibrous root systems aren’t invasive in any way.