The Franklin County Extension Office is working with groups around the county to stop the spread of Lethal Bronzing Disease which has been found in some local palm trees.
Extension Director Erik Lovestrand recently helped the SGI Plantation create a sampling protocol for palm trees suspected of Lethal Bronzing Disease in that neighborhood.
The Plantation can now conduct its own sampling when needed.
Lethal Bronzing Disease was first reported in May in a palm tree in Apalachicola.
Since then, other trees have shown signs of the disease, though it hasn't been confirmed in all of the other trees yet.
Lethal Bronzing Disease infects native cabbage palms, as well as several other ornamental palms.
It is spread by small plant-hopper insect.
Without testing you can't tell if the tree is diseased until it starts dying and by that time it’s too late to save the tree.
There is a way to protect palm trees from getting the disease but that requires treatment every three months or so.
People who would like to have their palm trees tested will have to pay 75 dollars per sample.
If you would like to find out more, contact the Franklin County Extension office at 850-653-9337.
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