Areca Vestiaria in Southern Cal?

[Geoff]

Incredible… another to add to Palms for California… after saying it couldn't be done… glad to be wrong.

[Sabal Steve]

Awesome, thank you for the update.

[HurryUp&Grow]

Annual photo update reminder!

Great thread!

Edited December 21, 2016 by HurryUp&Grow

[Jesse]

BUMP! Would love to hear how that guy is doing.

Edited June 13, 2017 by Jesse

[bubba]

 Great Re-Thread!  Calling all cars. Where is Mr. Dirt/aka/Just1MorePalm for necessary update and we all join in thanking him in advance for his anticipated response!

[DoomsDave]

They're a tough grow here, not enough humidity away from the beach.

Which makes them all the more glorious when they do succeed.

[Palm Tree Jim]

20 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

They're a tough grow here, not enough humidity away from the beach.

Which makes them all the more glorious when they do succeed.

True......

[DoomsDave]

Just now, Palm Tree Jim said:

True......

Do you have one?

(Pant pant pant, licky licky, like the Rotts of Weiler . . . )

[Palm Tree Jim]

Just now, DoomsDave said:

Do you have one?

(Pant pant pant, licky licky, like the Rotts of Weiler . . . )

Had....2.

No luck. As you stated, lack of humidity and our cold winters.

[Just1MorePalm]

Wow, time fly's...7 years already...The good news, The palm is still growing and looking ok...The bad news is that the latest round of fronds were being eaten by aphids deep in the growing point so they are deformed...This is only a minor setback since were are off to a great start to the growing season and they should bounce back and throw nice full leaves next go round..

The aphids are the biggest problem growing this palm for me.  I have to be very vigilant with bug watch and spray the growing point and undersides of the leaves on a regular basis with the hose to get the bugs out and off of the plant...the aphids will leach out all the nutrients from the plant and slow it way down or kill it...So far I have stayed on them for the most part, but I slip up now and then and forget to spray and the bugs munch away..

 

Cheers!

[Just1MorePalm]

This is the first update of the seedlings I planted in my side yard..They are the yellow form...The location is very protected from wind and cold and they are growing well...

[Jesse]

Great news! Any advice on planting this guy, soil recipes, etc.? Southern California sun exposure?

**Microphone held out** Knowing what you know now, what would you tell yourself if could go back in time 7 years?

[Palm Tree Jim]

8 hours ago, Just1MorePalm said:

Wow, time fly's...7 years already...The good news, The palm is still growing and looking ok...The bad news is that the latest round of fronds were being eaten by aphids deep in the growing point so they are deformed...This is only a minor setback since were are off to a great start to the growing season and they should bounce back and throw nice full leaves next go round..

The aphids are the biggest problem growing this palm for me.  I have to be very vigilant with bug watch and spray the growing point and undersides of the leaves on a regular basis with the hose to get the bugs out and off of the plant...the aphids will leach out all the nutrients from the plant and slow it way down or kill it...So far I have stayed on them for the most part, but I slip up now and then and forget to spray and the bugs munch away..

 

Cheers!

Well grown!!

[Just1MorePalm]

1 hour ago, Jesse said:

Great news! Any advice on planting this guy, soil recipes, etc.? Southern California sun exposure?

**Microphone held out** Knowing what you know now, what would you tell yourself if could go back in time 7 years?

Hi Jesse...

The only thing I would do different would be to buy a house in Hawaii and plant there.  This palm grows like a weed there.

One problem with zone pushing is that you have to provide the plants with protection from the elements. That requires the plants to be tucked away in an area were you probably can't see them and enjoy them easily.  With my Red form I planted it in a prime spot on the patio for all to see its glory. Consequently, it gets more exposure to the elements and looks like it. It's growing and has looked nice at times, but not a stunner. Only us palm nerds see the inner beauty and call it a stunner.  The yellow form were so small when I planted them that I just tucked them under other palms in the side yard were they get filtered mid day sun, no wind and no cold. So not many looks either, unless you go searching for them.  I have forgotten about them for months and then one day stumble on them.

The soil is sandy clay that drains well. I amend the top 6" with compost. Nothing special. Drainage is the key.

Sun exposure...Well, these are under-story palms, so sun is limited and 90% filtered by canopy... The red is SW facing with limited late afternoon sun and can get afternoon wind. The yellows are planted on a side yard facing East. The house is on one side and a block wall on the other side, with palms overhead. The side yard is about 15' across. A perfect protected area for this type of palm.

Lastly, since these palms grow so slow and are always stressed, the bugs have an advantage.  You have to stay on bug watch...The aphids will kill your palm. I try to spray the undersides of the leaves and the crown on a regular basis with the hose. I don't use pesticides, but I will when the water stops working.

 

Happy Growing.

[Jesse]

Thanks for the quick response! I contemplate the Hawaii move often however I will continue to zone push without expectations.

 

[Hammer]

On 1/13/2014, 10:17:07, Jim in Los Altos said:

Joe Dirt. Your Areca looks amazing. They can adapt to dry air fairly well if it's not really hot. Mine is growing in a bedroom window and is three feet tall with a few suckers and the relative humidity often is below 30% most of the year and sometimes in the teens and my vestiaria never stops pushing new leaves. It's a constant 67F this time of year and I bring the plant outside occasionally during really warm weather and place it in the shade. Unfortunately I know it could never be grown in the ground in my garden but it's the only indoor palm I own.

Jim, what size pot do you keep yours is?  Is the three feet in total or three feet of trunk?

[Chatta]

gorgeous!!!

[Jim in Los Altos]

On March 18, 2018 at 9:34:11 PM, Hammer said:

Jim, what size pot do you keep yours is?  Is the three feet in total or three feet of trunk?

Just a three gallon container. It goes through several periods per year when growth comes to a halt. The plant is 3 feet tall.

[TomJ]

BUMP !!!   Is it alive?  if so can we please see.....   I know a guy that got an FB 1gl and put it in the ground.

[DoomsDave]

Larry Black in Fountain Valley has gotten A vestiara to grow.

His secret appears to be close to the ocean but not right on it, no frost and a swimming pool for extra humidity.

[Matt in OC]

Some sunburn from the past few days but otherwise chugging along. I claim no special skill with this palm. I’ve killed some and I have two others currently struggling. This one was a super large one gallon from Floribunda. Combined with the right spot, I’ve had some success. 

[Palm Tree Jim]

10 hours ago, Matt in OC said:

Some sunburn from the past few days but otherwise chugging along. I claim no special skill with this palm. I’ve killed some and I have two others currently struggling. This one was a super large one gallon from Floribunda. Combined with the right spot, I’ve had some success. 

The color is crazy Matt.

Well grown on this difficult palm for Southern CA.

[TomJ]

Thanks for the update.

I just put an FB 1gl in the ground.

I cut off the smaller sucker to hopefully give the main trunk more robust growth.

We'll see....

 

[Chatta]

Think I'm gonna try one on the lake front in my 9b/10a climate (tampa bay) after reading this thread. Hope they can take a little bit of flooding once in awhile, if so i've got the perfect spot

[WaianaeCrider]

I have a 1 gal from FB sitting in the shade house (60%) shade getting it use to Hotter and sunnier Wai`anae.  I should be in the ground in a few days.

[TomJ]

On 6/8/2020 at 7:32 PM, Matt in OC said:

Some sunburn from the past few days but otherwise chugging along. I claim no special skill with this palm. I’ve killed some and I have two others currently struggling. This one was a super large one gallon from Floribunda. Combined with the right spot, I’ve had some success. 

So you're saying there's a chance ???   LOL

[akamu]

Any updates mr. Dirt Matt or Tom iam considering renting some of these.lol.it  has been a few years since my last ones. The longest I've had them in the ground is about two and a half years.  Around  5 years back.

[TomJ]

11 hours ago, akamu said:

Any updates mr. Dirt Matt or Tom iam considering renting some of these.lol.it  has been a few years since my last ones. The longest I've had them in the ground is about two and a half years.  Around  5 years back.

Mine looked good until about a month ago and is now in palm heaven.

Prolonged cool/cold seemed to do it in, not any single event that I noticed anyway.

Spear was pushing through February and then stopped moving in early March.

 

[akamu]

2 hours ago, TomJ said:

Mine looked good until about a month ago and is now in palm heaven.

Prolonged cool/cold seemed to do it in, not any single event that I noticed anyway.

Spear was pushing through February and then stopped moving in early March.

 

Unfortunately this Seems to be the case in general for us. Looking at some weather averages for southern California. For some reason LA area along the coast does not get as cold as San Diego on average even though we are farther south. My next A vestiaria is going is to be potted up next to my turtle pond for  a little more humidity and  wind protection until it gets bigger. Just another experiment to see how long I can stretch out it's time on earth before it joins yours in palm heaven

[Matt in OC]

My big one is still kicking. I think our winter wasn’t that bad here. 
 

My little one, not so much...

[akamu]

4 hours ago, Matt in OC said:

My big one is still kicking. I think our winter wasn’t that bad here. 
 

My little one, not so much...

Matt I would save for being in California that looks pretty good how much sun does yours get and wind Etc what's your highest temp

[Matt in OC]

It gets some morning to midday filtered sun. It’s pretty protected from the wind. It’s in a raised planter in front of my house facing north. We’re in central coastal OC, relatively mild highs.