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Home My WebLink About10 - Canary Island Date Palm Street Trees on Marguerite Avenuel� C'� <�F00.�`P W" Win- Repartled. Council Agenda Item No. to April 23, 2002 TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: General Services Director SUBJECT: Canary Island Date Palm Street Trees located on Marguerite Avenue Recommendation Approve replacing trees that succumb to the palm disease with 36" box King Palms at a cost of $900 per tree. Background The 114 Canary Island Date Palms (Phoenix canariensis) located in the parkways on Marguerite Avenue in Corona del Mar have long been the subject of concern. The palms are declining and will eventually die due to Fusarium Wilt, a disease that was first detected on Canary Island Date Palms in California in 1927. Trees affected by the disease are characterized by the death of fronds in patterns that differ from normal dieback. Fronds on one side of a tree may die more rapidly than others giving a lopsided appearance. Eventually the entire tree dies (photo attached). The transmission of the disease can be minimized by using pruning saws that are sterilized with bleach solutions between pruning cuts on different trees. This practice is used by the industry and the City tree maintenance contractor, West Coast Arborist. Fusarium Wilt has no current cure and is a soil, air, and water borne pathogen for which transmission control is not possible. Staff will continue to keep abreast of any new industry research and potential cures for Fusarium Wilt of Canary Island Date Palms. Additionally, staff using the City tree contractor, will prune the palm trees using current hygiene standards to prevent further infection. Discussion Staff has developed the attached chronology relative to the palms on Marguerite Avenue. This chronology also includes a number of associated documents including a November 24, 1994 report to the Council and Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission regarding Fusarium Wilt. The report clearly defines the problem on Marguerite Avenue caused by the disease. Staff considered this problem as part of the Citywide Street Tree Redesignation Project that was reviewed by the Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission and adopted by the City Council on May 23, 2000. That project prescribed a variety of new tree species to replace problem species such as the Canary Island Date Palm. The King Palm (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana) was selected as the replacement street tree for Marguerite Avenue since it is disease and pest free and is not infected by Fusarium Wilt. A photo of mature King Palms located at Sherman Gardens is attached. The current replacement size, which is a 36" boxed tree with an average overall height of 8 -10', costs $900 per tree which includes planting, root barriers, and staking. A photo of a newly planted King Palm is attached. The cost to exceed this size would be $150 per vertical foot, which negates planting larger trees. As an example, to plant a King Palm with a height of 25', would cost approximately $2,250 per tree. Staff has prepared a FY 02 -03 capital improvement project request for $36,000 to clear the palm tree husk accumulation. The pruning action may extend the life of the palms. Please contact me if you have any further questions. David E. Niederhaus Attachments: (A) Dead Canary Island Date Palm photo (B) Chronology /Report of Canary Island Date Palm Problem (C) Canary Island Palms on Marguerite Ave with husks photo (D) Canary Island Palms with husks removed at Lookout Point photo (E) Mature King Palms at Sherman Gardens photo (F) King Palm Replacements on Marguerite Avenue photo FAUSERS\GSVIMR MP.ks@ T=kPOrks2002Vahn OC.a,1s1.LdF.1 sM.,u Hte3102.d. t, r 1 r r Marguerite Avenue Canary Island Date Palm Chronology • April 10, 1998 — City Flyer to residents explaining a test program with injecting fertilizer and fungicide. There were no significant changes so staff did not continue with the program. • March 21, 1997 — Samples taken by West Coast Arborists for analyzing by Soil and Plant Laboratory — Pathology Results: Phoenix canariensis infected with Fusarium Wilt. • 1993 — 1994 Local Newspaper articles on Canary Island Date Palm disease, one article in Daily Pilot relative to Corona del Mar. • November 23, 1994 — Report from the General Services Director to the Mayor, City Council, Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission, and the City Manager regarding Palm Tree Diseases. • July 15, 1993 — Palm Management Seminar that former Tree Supervisor, Bob Bailey attended. • October 12, 1992 — Professional Report from Moyer Products states that no treatment is available for palms due to Fusarium Wilt. • 1991— Printing of Trade Journal on Fusarium Wilt. • April 1991 — City Memo — Greg Lewis, Pest Technician, to Jack Brooks, Park and Tree Superintendent, indicated palms infested with Pink Rot and Fusarium Wilt. • June 15, 1988 —Trouble Shooting Palm Problems by Dr. Howard D. Ohr for staff reference files. • 1988 — Selected Diseases of Palms by Dr. Howard D. Ohr for staff reference files • December 6, 1979 — Report on the Fusarium Disease of Canary Island Palm prepared by California Department of Food and Agriculture. Prepared by General Services Department March t, 2001 November 23, 1994 To: Mayor and City Council Parks, Beaches, and Recreation Commission City Manager From: General Services Director Subject: Palm Tree Diseases The attached article in the Orange County Register regarding palm maladies has prompted this report relative to Staff's awareness and proactive attitude toward the City palm trees. The article focuses on one major disease, Fusarium wilt, but there are also two other diseases that affect City palm trees. All three diseases have been recognized and monitored by City staff during the last ten years. Each represents a major threat to the longevity of the palms. The first disease, Fusarium wilt, is found primarily in our City on the Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis). This palm species represents 1.1 % of the City's urban forest or 235 trees. The value of these trees is $352,500. The area of the City where 117 Canary palms are located is Marguerite Avenue in Corona del Mar. Citywide, there are approximately 32 trees that have symptoms of the disease. Staff is continually monitoring the status of each of these trees and researching new remedies. Staff has also been involved in informing property owners, where the disease has been identified, as to the specifics of the problem. The current trimming practice for the Canary Island Palm is to trim only dead fronds and sterilize the saw after each tree is trimmed so as not to spread the disease. The two other diseases that are affecting our palms is Pink Bud Rot and Diamond Scale which are also caused by fungi. The California Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera), which represents only 56 trees of the urban forest, has a more significant rate of these diseases. There are 25 trees that have either one or both of the aforementioned two diseases. These palms are located on Goldenrod Avenue and Pacific Drive in Corona del Mar. The residents in these neighborhoods have been informed and staff continues to monitor the condition of the disease. No remedy now exists. There is currently no registered fungicides available in the State for the treatment of these palm diseases. The best control is cultural; i.e., keep the tree healthy, sterilize pruning equipment, and not plant the same species of palms to reduce future problems. Additionally, Staff has been in contact with other professionals in the industry to continue to keep abreast of any new developments. There are no funds available in the current budget to begin replacement of the diseased trees. However, a Capital Improvement Project for reforestation has been developed for FY 95 -96. If you have any questions regarding the palm tree diseases, please contact our Urban Forester, John Conway, at 644 -3083. Very respectfully, David E. Niederhaus Attachment ti ry IS It - lo-Aw . I -g r t-sw "All :,t 17 lo� PA OL ,71 r. 11 � ..KS+ Ott a: op r' ►y� + 1 • ate.{ l� :• '� I � �.'�� •pia ", � '� is Z � t _> I ry. mil„`• � .. �• -f�r, .f�� . .yam �. �- �.', •i� {� x � r� � C IAA'' 1. JQ,•�y�� ' w ti. i F; `,��. .. � `far p. � •r :, ' .. : �: c w • . ITOF • / u • A4 r '•kt 1 p ser ,rydr op v: .,rM / /J. ...j '•r. i 1 i r { r std •� .x / \��1�_�! � * �• , 5� a � 1 � � � 1 :., 1 ` i.l � "Am-, 1 t ..I,l .ice: - �'� ` - �"��k��R r r \ ri i r