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I hate to say it, but as much as I understand wanting one, this seems like it's probably not a good idea. These are very sensitive palms. I don't see them growing well in such conditions. @sonoranfans , thoughts? Also, how are you acquiring these OP?

Welcome to West Central Florida!

Not really. Rain water arrives with some dissolved nitrogen and a slightly acidic pH. Check the pH of the water coming out of your hose. There's a good chance that it is slightly alkaline, especially if you're on a municipal water system.

PRA rewind of 2008 "Ants" attack at Casaphippsberger

Man I’m awful at IDing pritchardia but yours looks different than hillebrandii too. Very strong chance I’m wrong though.

My garden received a light rain totaling ~0.20in over 2 days. Some is better than none, but we could sure use a good rainy season to get everything in recovery mode and fill up the wetlands.

Shoot I wish I remembered. I would have to think that it died or something. I only have 5 pritchardia, 2 are definitely hillebrandii, one is minor and the other 2 I don’t think I’ll know until they flower. I also don’t remember when I planted or what one was and is probably the slowest palm I have. The other I collected in Maui from a botanical garden that is no longer there. One thing I am sure of is that none of them are beccariana. You’re looks fantastic though.

Its about 30-40mins to bag tie down. 20260503_100448.mp4

Thanks👍 I will let everyone know how it goes.

May 3, 2026 update I don’t see much of a difference since the last update. It’s hard to tell when all the new growth is out of my view. It’s been very nice these last few months. yellow golden green

I have Ceroxylon alpinum, quindiuence, and amazonicum doing well for years. No trunks yet but hopefully soon.

Most people buy them to use as hedges but most species want to grow into trees. Many years ago I saw Podocarpus used as street trees on Coronado Island, San Diego. They were grown to their true potential as a tree and not as a hacked shrub.

Calyptrocalyx leptostachys. Tim

I had 2 of these in a shady, wind protected spot. Well, the leaves would still tear up from the winds. They never held entire leaves. Always ripped up so they are now mulch. Just because I can grow it doesn't mean I should. Ugly is ugly and those torn up leaves were just ugly. Glad so many of you are enjoying yours and found that perfect spot for those perfect leaves.

Well, you are obviously in a climatically favorable area that you have enhanced to truly become an enchanted spot. Is it too hot in summer to grow any Ceroxylon there? Maybe C. amazonicum?

Yes, I have five of them in the ground...Three of what I'm fairly sure are Jamaican/Atlantic Talls; and two of what I purchased as Red Spicata, in both cases from mail-order nurseries in Miami. They do "fine" here (some other types, however, have collapsed in winter). "Fine" meaning if you find just the right amount of morning sun and dappled shade, in an east- or south-facing area under good canopy, they put out nice leaves...problems being at least when young, they only produce about three leaves per year under those conditions. Really not enough to have a great plant, I feel that five is the absolute minimum for a healthy specimen...though I suspect leaf-production will improve over time. Also some issues with blanching if the sun hits the leaves during the low-sun season, again, careful siting required! There are mature palms here in the desert, most of them now cut down by unwary home-buyers who didn't know or care what they had. The remaining one in La Quinta is impressive in size but the crown can look dry and kind of ratty at certain times of year, and old leaf-bases hold on since there's little rain or humidity to tease them off naturally. Nice to have it here, nonetheless! There are beautiful specimens growing a couple hundred miles southeast of here at Golfo de Santa Clara, but since it's on the Gulf it enjoys humidity and slightly milder highs in summer. The crazy case was an absolutely gorgeous one growing outside of the desert, in Corona of all places, it was beautiful, but when sold, the new owner chopped it down. There are plenty of threads on all of this, if you search, elsewhere on this forum. This topic has been drilled to death here...but ultimately I look at it as a somewhat marginal but fun thing to have around, but I keep it in the "semi-temporary" category. If they start trunking and looking great, so much the better, but I don't necessarily expect it.

A bit of luck with the pollination on the adscendens in the garden. Should go close to another 400 seeds from the rest of the mother plants, not a bad haul from the garden for a relatively rare palm.

The first two photos go together…

A bit off topic but have you ever tried a coconut? Seems like your climate is the best suited for cocos, unlike coastal areas that don’t get hot enough in the winter, you stay relatively warm in the winter.

H rheophytica and Bismarkia today

Mediterranean fan palms are slow growing and they grow outwards leaving gaps that don’t provide enough screening. Im thinking the best option is probably a non-palm. Im thinking fern podocarpus is probably going to suit my needs and goals. .

My gardens are coastal, so much higher humidity and lower summertime highs. Santa Ana conditions are always much milder here, but even here there are better clumping palms than Chrysalidocarpus lutescens. Chrysalidocarpus onilahensis, Chrysalidocarpus rufescens will both clump but have far less brown tipping on the leaflets than lutescens. If it is in your budget a large box specimen of something that is slower growing but will add a foot or two above your wall to start might be worth considering. I am thinking of a Butia, a Brahea or even a clumping Chamaerops humilis. These are better suited to your climate but will have relatively full foliage for your screening goal. The Arenga engleri will never get too tall as individual trunks eventually die after flowering the full length of the trunk and reproducing by pupping. I don't know how they will hold up to excessively dry Santa Ana winds that you experience though. Otherwise I will heartily endorse them as a screen. Part of your decision will depend on the height you want. Do you want 2 to 3 feet above your wall or more like 6 to 10 feet?

I suspect that if I lived in the tropics, I would be bored to tears with this particular palm, but they are an unusual, elegant addition to a Southern California garden. Here are a couple growing in mine and my next-door neighbors yard.

Tracy, yours looks 100% like beccariana to me. Great looking palm..