Help Please!

[concerned]

I have several palm trees in my yard. We just moved to this house, and I do not know much about palm trees. They appear to have some sort of pest. I think it maybe spider mites. Please identify this palm tree for me and let me know if it has spider mites. Should I cut off all the branches or just wash the tree with insecticidal spray? My mother-in-law cut off several of the branches because she thought it would spread to other trees. I advised her to stop because it was already on the other trees. Here are the pics. Please let me know also if this tree can be saved. Any advise it appreciated!

[Newt]

Hi Concerned,

Congratulations on your new home!* It looks like what you have is a Cycad called Sago which is not a palm, but just looks like one.* Your picture is of a female that has some age to it.* Here's info on them.
http://www.rhapisgardens.com/sagos/sagoseed.htm
http://www.emilycompost.com/sago_palm1.htm

I'm wondering what makes you think you have spider mites?* Do you see webs or tiny dots that move?* Usually to see them you have to tap a branch on a piece of paper and look for the moving dots.* Yours has a scale insect, but I can't tell which one.* You don't say where you live, but there's been a new scale pest in Florida.*
http://mgonline.com/cycadscale.html
http://www.plantapalm.com/centralfl/...ycad_scale.htm
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/...er-we-figured/

One note of caution:* the seeds are poisonous to dogs!* If you have kids or pets, DO NOT let them put the seeds in their mouths.

Newt

[concerned]

Thank you for your reply. I now think that they have Asian Cycad Scale. It looks exactly like the pictures of other sagos infected with the scale. I've read that applying horticultural oil can help so I will try. Then, I must use a pressure washer on a low setting or a hose to spray off the dead scale. I just hope that it will not spread to all of my trees. Currently, 5 of them have it.

[Newt]

You are very welcome!* I'm glad that was helpful.* There are many different types of horticultural oil.* One is made from petroleum and another is made from sesame seeds.* Try and get Organocide which is made from sesame seeds.* Organicide is made from petroleum.
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/no...her/not45.html

Good luck!
Newt

[garden guy]

looks like a king sago to me, its native to southern japan and is very popular in the deep south, however that powdery subsance on youre cycad(not palm) is pretty bad news.* they rarly come back from this particular affliction, but hopfuly it will!

[Newt]

Garden Guy, I think you are correct.* Take a look here.* Scroll down to the 3rd set of pics under Cycas circinalis, Cycas undulata, Cycas wallichii aka Queen Sago, and then scroll down to the 5th set under Cycas revoluta aka King Sago.
http://www.toptropicals.com/cgi-bin/...ily=Cycadaceae

Newt