This past year many of you have heard me, Pat Smoyer, speak about Ganoderma, a deadly palm disease. Although it has been around for many years, only a few of you recognize it. A tree can have Ganoderma for many years and we won’t even recognize it until the conks start to show near the base of the tree. Usually the fronds start dying, or drooping, and no new fronds form.
There is no good way to determine if the tree is diseased prior to the conks appearing. Once conks are discovered, the tree needs to be removed and the stump ground out. Because the disease is spread by spores, tree removal and stump grinding needs to happen ASAP.
We could lose our palms if diseased trees are ignored. This year the Common Grounds Committee spent over $30,000 for the removal of diseased palms and their roots located all around the community on Common Grounds.
Please help us eradicate the diseased trees by keeping an eye out for the conks. Should you spot a possible infected tree, fill out a RIF paper from the office or online and bring it to the office. The Common Grounds Committee will check out the tree in question to verify if it has Ganoderma. If a tree does have Ganoderma, and it is on private property, it is the responsibility of the owner(s) to have both the tree and the stump removed.
