Can I remove the trunk covering on my Dictyosperma?

T

TonyLoco

Active Member
45
25/11/13
1
28
South Florida
My Dictyosperma Album has this covering around the trunk. It looks kind of ugly, is it safe to pull it off? r should I wait for it to come off naturally? See pic below:
 

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Never pull that stuff off before its time. Palms- Tree ferns. If you cut it as close to the trunk as you can- that's fine. But yanking on it can damage the trunk,leaves scars forever..leave it open to possible infection.
 
Mine is about the exact same age, and just as "ugly." Patience Grasshopper, and you will be rewarded. :)

I agree with Stan, and am always extremely careful when removing old leaf bases. It is kinda like a scab. You can rip it off, but it is always better to let it fall off on it's own, no matter how badly you want it gone.
 
Jim in Los Altos said:
If the boots come off with a gentle tug then it's okay to remove them. Sometimes they're hanging on by a thread and there's no reason o leave them "on" when that way.
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True,the tug method gives you a good idea if its ready..I do that with King palms. If they don't just about fall off? Too soon...and leave them.
 
Another point --- if they are hanging on by a thread, don't yank down. What happens sometimes if you do that is what I call the "celery effect." We all know what happens when you break a stick of celery and pull down on one end - how the strings "peel away" on the main piece. So sometimes, when you do this on the trunk, you can peel down the "stringy" part of the trunk, and it will scar. So try pulling up, or tearing from side to side carefully, or cut with a razor knife --- but be really careful if not quite ready and you grab the boot and just pull down. Generally not a good idea.
 
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Exactly. Initially,I was thinking he meant as the bases get worn looking. After Jim's post,I figured that yes if they are dried and hardened...then a tug will remove them. And sometimes- its a good idea as old,old, bases harbor snails,pill bugs and other critters. But if its less then all that? Just let nature do her thing. And like Dean mentioned..if you go too soon and are stuck in the nether world of "You've peeled the boot back,but it wont come off"...then be surgical as you can and trim it off. And do not repeat!
 
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