While Windmill Palms are famously tough and can handle some pretty chilly temperatures, they aren’t invincible. It’s super common to walk out into your garden after a long winter only to find your palm looking a little crispy. If you’re seeing brown leaves, don’t panic! There are a few different reasons this happens, and most of them can be fixed with some fall prep and a little spring TLC.
Why is my Windmill Palm turning brown?
- Damage from frost and excess moisture
- Freeze damage from extreme temperature drops
- Too much water (root rot issues)
- Not enough water (especially for palms overwintering indoors)
Dealing with frost and moisture damage
If you’re keeping your Windmill Palm in a pot on your patio or balcony, you’ve got to give it a little “winter coat.” Make sure to move the pot to a sheltered spot where it’s protected from biting winds and freezing rain. When moisture gets trapped in the foliage during a freeze, the tips of the fronds can actually get freezer burn, turning them brown and brittle. To keep your plant happy, wrap it up in burlap, garden fleece, or coconut fiber mats to keep the worst of the elements at bay.
Brown leaves from drying out
Believe it or not, palms that spend the winter safely tucked away indoors can also end up with brown leaves. If this is happening to your indoor palm, it’s usually a sign that it’s thirsty. It’s easy to forget about watering when it’s cold outside, but if those roots dry out completely, the leaves are the first things to suffer. They’ll dry up, turn brown, and eventually die off.
The trick is to check the soil regularly. Once the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch, give your palm a good drink.
Is it too late to save my palm?
If the damage is just on the outer leaves, there’s plenty of hope! Once spring rolls around, you can encourage new growth, and your palm will start pushing out fresh, green fronds again. However, there is a point of no return: if the “heart” (the center bud) of the palm has frozen solid or completely dried out, the plant likely won’t recover. But as long as the center stays healthy, your palm should bounce back!
