Tiki gardeners - help needed with palm

We are coming into the warmer weather here and I have just had a large branch fall on one of my bangalow palms. It has broken one of the stems.

They take a bit of growing in the colder climate down here, so I want to make sure I don't do anything stupid. What are my options?

Apply a splint?

Cut it and hope the stem re-generates?

If yes, do I cut it with a saw or a smooth knife?

Will the cutting propogate, or do I have an indoor arrangement for a while 'til it dies?

All advice appreciated

You will probably find that it will pull right out of the middle. If so, it rotted, too much water, too little drainage or cold. The Archontophoenix Cunninghamiana (We call it a King Palm) is pretty hardy, will go down to -32C or 25 degrees (sustained) here in California, and will go down into the teens here for a short time. I suspect that the soil is your main culprit. Palms need a very draining soil, I use equal parts peat moss and peralite. Palms like to have their faces washed but their feet dry.
Hope that helps.
Here is a link to the Palm society in Australia
http://www.pacsoa.org.au/

Bob,

Thanks for the info, I'll check out the link.

The Bangalow palms seem pretty happy in wet ground.

I may not have been too clear. A branch from another tree overhead (damn wattle trees) fell on it.

Here's what's left of the culprit:

Otherwise, it is in great shape (little bit of die back to sort out). I have put the palm trunk in a splint and am hoping for the best - fingers crossed!

[ Edited by: Vonratnick 2010-12-15 13:22 ]

[ Edited by: vonratnick 2010-12-15 16:11 ]