But you just got it!!!!

Did the Cat pee in it?

not the named one the large common one I have had it 3 or 4 months now..I can't come up with anything but the sun fried it..it wasnt even that warm today maybe 45F but it was sunny all day. the window faces north so I really don't see how it got to it.

Barb, so true cats are bad for plant peeing and future death. In fact that was the fate of my traveller's palm last year upon second thought.

cats are bad for plant peeing and future death

When I move all the potted palms outdoors, I place big rocks on top of the soil to discourage neighborhood cats from using them as toilets.
Works well, and steadies pots in the wind too.

the window faces north so I really don't see how it got to it.

Not the sun then.
Could it have been extra chlorine in city water during winter?
Our city seems to beef up chlorine during winter, haven't a clue why, but the dog won't even drink it unless the bucket's been sitting for a day or two.

I'm puzzled what caused that, Mike. 😐

Barb

We often got Rhaphis excelsa at the greenhouse. It was one of the few we could water by hand (and allow to dry out moderately between waterings ) rather than daily watering on the floodfloors. It can easily succumb to root rot if not allowed proper drainage, i.e. holes at the VERY base of the pot perimeter (holes an inch up are NO good); and the palm must not be watered until the top inch of soil has dried out. In a greenhouse, we watered (drenched!) these once a week... That's 30-35'c all day in full sun. At home in the winter I suggest watering fully once every 20 - 25 days. Sorry my friend I think you loved it to death.

the sun is the only explanation I have. I watered it once a week, every friday, and teh soil was VERY fast draining. I water that one and the other with rain water only collected in a bucket outside and there are no animals in the house..the sun is all I have. It honestly looks like it hasent had a drink in years just totally withered up in 12 hours. I would post a pic but I am down right ashamed. the other more heavy variegated one get morning sun through a window, much more than the other and its fine. I just don't have a clue. I think it will make it some of the larger fronds are open and still green and the spears are all good but it will take a LOOOOONG time to grow out of this.

Mike, please don't ever be ashamed to show a photo of a sick or dying plant.
We've all done it and learn from people's replies.

Just a Q: Has the soil pulled away from the sides of the pot? leaving a space where the water runs down and out without wetting the rootball?

I've seen many cases of the soil ball being so dense and impenetrable by water that it basically needs to be broken apart near the surface (into a bowl shape) to allow water down.

Barb

Mike, please don't ever be ashamed to show a photo of a sick or dying plant.

I swear I posted that this morning......... Either way, a pic would help a lot, and she is right. To me it it seems like the more you get into it, the more plants you kill (at least at the beginning). I killed a few dozen last fall/this winter alone.

this was the plant when I came home from work

This is what it looked like 12 hours after sitting near that open window...

makes me sick to think it went into decline that fast just from a bit of sun

I've lost a couple of palms this winter to the very same thing, usually within 12 hrs of watering. Pindo Palm, Mexican Fan Palm both simply wilted over and died. When I pulled the Pindo out of the soil to use the pot it was in, the roots were pretty soaked and wet. Combination of wrong soil, and poor draining pot....and me over watering.

Lesson learned. BTW, I used rain or melted snow for water, so no chemical issues.

I still can't fathom how a north window--with no direct sun--can do that.

When my palm leaves fold up lengthwise like that, it always meant soil was dry as a bone.
And it was.
But obviously not if you say it's moist.

That's one for the books! 😕
So sorry about that Mike.

Barb

Firstly, I do not think it is a goner.
Secondly, plants can go in to decline when rapidly grown in (usually Florida ), then are brought to less light -intense climes. It is their ability to leaf-cull.
Barb good point on soil shrink and rootboundedness.

At the greenhouse, I have had to cut away as much as two-thirds of a rhaphis palm for the above reason, only for them to fare very well in rebound.

Just watch out for overwatering. There is no going back.

Drench FULLY every 20-25 days in the winter. I mean water it. It drains thru. Water it again with a tray beneath to soak up into the soil. 85%drains thru. Water it five minutes later again. Now the plant and soil may weigh 2 -3 times as heavy. Dump excess water from the tray. Leave it alone for 25 days. Water based on weight loss. I had a large palm that I watered when it dropped below 76 pounds. It would go up to 85 pounds when properly watered. I only misted until it lost 5-9 pounds. You will get used to judging water weight by picking up your plant every few days.

Sorry for the lesson on watering. But I was for quite some time, responsible for hand watering as many as 25,000 plants three times a week. I got accustomed to very few losses and many many saves.

hand watering as many as 25,000 plants three times a week.

And you judged that by plant weight?
Your back must be worse than mine, Adam.

Barb

well most were 6" or ten inch pots (3 gal). Most were routine, some were as needed (by weight) and some got less or extra water if they appeared stressed (which may also be by weight. This got to be easy to compare stressed plants' weight to healthy plants weight and appearance to those all around it.).