Large Hole At Base Of 20 Year Old Bottle Palm.

Question

We live in the dry desert of CA. It gets 5 min. Of water 4x a week.(lawn sprinkler)

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Answer 1

Your bottle palm is getting frequent, shallow waterings. These trees do much better with deep watering less often. Allow it to dry between waterings. In winter it needs no supplemental water.

As the caudex expands, bark can fall away or crack. Your tree does not look like it is rotting, so I would not try to seal the hole, which could cause problems. I suggest watering less often, but deeply, at least 20 minutes each time.

Have you seen an animal come out of the hole, such as a raccoon or fox? There may be a resident down below.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/watering/deep-watering.htm