Yes, when they look like that it’s over.

you could hire a local professional for an onsite inspection and opinion...

see if these peeps can help

but if you are ok with chroma's opinion.. sign up for removal....

ken

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=isa+arborists&t=ffab&ia=web

When palmetto fronds die at the crown, it ”usually” means that the plant has died. However! Given the little bit of history you’ve shared, there is a possibility that the fronds are dead, but not the actual crown. If the tree is important in your landscape, it might be worth while to have a certified arborist come to investigate.

How long have you had this tree? Has it been in decline since the first cold winter? Importantly, is this tree allowed to shed its lower fronds naturally, or has it been (wrongfully) scalped up to the very tip? I ask the latter question because when Palmettos are trimmed of all extra green fronds, they cannot build up energy/sugar reserves which help protect against severe extremes of temperature. Palmettos, sadly, are often subject to poor pruning practices.

In reply to
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7: thank you for your insights. I moved into this house about 2 years ago. not sure how old this plant is though the house is 20 years old. I did cut out the dead brown fronds to as much as i could reach in an effort to get rid of dead ones and possibly help the plant.

What kind of palm is that? Californian and Mexican fan palms almost all got wiped out in Dallas in February 2021, and Chinese windmill palms actually tend to struggle in such a hot climate. Your best bet may be cabbage palmettos - although really, I'd recommend Brazoria palmettos or Birmingham palmettos if you can come by either, which grow more slowly than cabbage palmettos but are more cold-hardy.