Question: I am interested to know if you thinks the damage to this palms is from disease or car damage. Hope it is damage, because there are so many other palms that could be impacted from a disease. -Major, Fort Myers

Answer: This certainly appears to be damaged caused by a speeding car. Hard impact damage to royal palm trunks usually leaves long vertical splits where it is possible to see through the trunk without a complete separation of the trunk. Also, the side of the trunk facing the road has a large area where the pseudobark is scraped away. The palm should be removed since the wound will not heal and it will eventually toppled because of the damage.

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