Satakentia Liukiuensis “non-tropical climates” (My experiences in So California)

[TomJ]

A biig thanks for @Matty B for showing us in California what is possible.  Maybe he will chime in and reveal his sorcery…. I mean growing experiences.

Not wanting to hijack Bubba’s Satekentia in California post. I hope other growers in other non-tropical localities share their experiences and pictures.    

My experience so far…

In January Winter of 2016 / 2017 I bought 2 small, yellowish one gallon Satekentia from KW Palms & Cycads in Lake Elsinore.  The two palms were small and cheap so why not

Then in July of 2018 I was reading a post in PT.  Matty B stated that his Satakentia seemed like it could take more sun than he had thought at first.  I then decided to move one of my plants out from under shade cloth into full direct Vista sun. I checked on it carefully throughout that day. Then after four days I pulled the other one out into full sun.  They thrived in full exposure!     

In September, I decided to just plant them out.  

1. I have no greenhouse

2. I am ADD

3. They’re still alive!

This picture is of them starting their first winter in ground December 2018

[TomJ]

Since being planted they have seen a low of 31.3 F and triple digit highs.

They have survived four winters outside, three of which were in the ground.  

Here they are last July (2019), beaten up but survived mid to upper 30's as low temperatures for over a month straight with no significant warm events. (Winter 2018 / 2019) As a result, I did have some fungal issues last summer on them as well as many others in my yard.

[TomJ]

Here they are today… 

[TomJ]

Everyone please post pictures and experiences….

[Johnny Palmseed]

About 6 months old and in partial sun. Roof line creates shade so they get some full sun. Average daily high is 95. East central Florida.

[joe_OC]

Mine got bud rot and died.  My fault for watering overhead.

[Pal Meir]

Two years of growth (1987 habitat Hoshidate/Iriomote & 1989 Marburg/Germany):

The main problem when grown indoors is spider mites  (which killed this palm a couple of years later).

[Tracy]

2 hours ago, TomJ said:

Here they are today… 

 

Nice work Tom!  Looking forward to getting over to see them in person sometime in the not too distant future.  Enjoyed giving you the tour of my plot yesterday!

[sonoranfans]

They look like all they need is a shot of sul-po-mag and they'd be as good as florida ones.

[TomJ]

Here they are one year later.  Slow but steady.

The smaller one seems to have grown out of it's funk over the last year.

Yes @sonoranfans,  Sul-po-Mag was like spinach to Popeye for these guys.

Five Winters now outside, four of which were in the ground.

Greened right up, Thanks.

Edited June 24, 2021 by TomJ

[TomJ]

One year later....

[TomJ]

16 months later.

Mini me died in Spring....  grower error.

Bigger one has a few rings of trunk now.

Trunk is darkening up but time will tell. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

I’m trying one in my 10a South SF Bay Area garden. Will leave it potted (one gallon) until later spring if it makes it through a winter here. It rarely drops to 32°F here but low to mid 40s at night are common throughout winter and a few mid 30s. It’s been sitting in afternoon sun for a few months and looks great. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

On 11/21/2023 at 3:45 PM, Jim in Los Altos said:

I’m trying one in my 10a South SF Bay Area garden. Will leave it potted (one gallon) until later spring if it makes it through a winter here. It rarely drops to 32°F here but low to mid 40s at night are common throughout winter and a few mid 30s. It’s been sitting in afternoon sun for a few months and looks great. 

Update up here in the Bay Area. My Satakentia made it through its first winter and looks good. Our lowest nighttime temperature was 35°F. Today I transferred the palm into a 5 gallon pot. Its roots are dense and were popping out the one gallon drain holes and the palm added two leaves since I got it last October. I had planned on planting it in the ground but, with this palm, I think growing it up in a five gallon pot would give it a better shot. I’ll take a picture of it in mid summer. 

[TomJ]

19 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

Update up here in the Bay Area. My Satakentia made it through its first winter and looks good. Our lowest nighttime temperature was 35°F. Today I transferred the palm into a 5 gallon pot. Its roots are dense and were popping out the one gallon drain holes and the palm added two leaves since I got it last October. I had planned on planting it in the ground but, with this palm, I think growing it up in a five gallon pot would give it a better shot. I’ll take a picture of it in mid summer. 

I planted mine straight away from 1 gallon.  

It handles sun pretty good from the get go.

My experience at least

[Than]

19 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

Update up here in the Bay Area. My Satakentia made it through its first winter and looks good. Our lowest nighttime temperature was 35°F. Today I transferred the palm into a 5 gallon pot. Its roots are dense and were popping out the one gallon drain holes and the palm added two leaves since I got it last October. I had planned on planting it in the ground but, with this palm, I think growing it up in a five gallon pot would give it a better shot. I’ll take a picture of it in mid summer. 

How many nights of 35 F did you see this winter and what was the maximum the day after?

[Than]

From Palmpedia: "it is still a very marginal palm in California with very few having success in growing up to trunking size (usually only in the perfect USDA 10b microclimates)"

[Jim in Los Altos]

5 hours ago, Than said:

How many nights of 35 F did you see this winter and what was the maximum the day after?

One night at 35° and a few 39° nights. No winter daytime temperatures less than 55° occurred. Here’s Los Altos average temperatures in the chart below. Temperatures don’t typically deviate much from those averages. 
 

[Jim in Los Altos]

5 hours ago, Than said:

From Palmpedia: "it is still a very marginal palm in California with very few having success in growing up to trunking size (usually only in the perfect USDA 10b microclimates)"

No freezing temperatures here since 2007. Frost is exceptionally rare too. 10a here officially but we’ve had almost all 10b winters since 2007. I’ve had Licuala, Clinosigma, and other “tender” species growing in my garden for years. The biggest obstacle is how lengthy cool cloudy periods last in the winter. Not enough to kill anything but to sometimes stress them somewhat until spring. 

[flplantguy]

We have more frequent freezes here but warmer overal nighttime temps, even in winter, and they do fantastic.  I would bet the biggest challenge is the slower growth from the cooler temps but i think you will have a good specimen in time.  Mine are tiny and slow still but they supposedly have good speed here during summers, and the orlando specimens i have seen are nice even right after the christmas freeze last year.  Im looking forward to seeing them there and here in the future.

2 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

No freezing temperatures here since 2007. Frost is exceptionally rare too. 10a here officially but we’ve had almost all 10b winters since 2007. I’ve had Licuala, Clinosigma, and other “tender” species growing in my garden for years. The biggest obstacle is how lengthy cool cloudy periods last in the winter. Not enough to kill anything but to sometimes stress them somewhat until spring. 

 

[Than]

17 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

No freezing temperatures here since 2007. Frost is exceptionally rare too. 10a here officially but we’ve had almost all 10b winters since 2007. I’ve had Licuala, Clinosigma, and other “tender” species growing in my garden for years. The biggest obstacle is how lengthy cool cloudy periods last in the winter. Not enough to kill anything but to sometimes stress them somewhat until spring. 

10b is everyone's dream, jealous of you! I feel guilty for being happy that winters become warmer, global warming is a disaster, but I can't help being happy that I am now zone 10a. Hopefully some more species will be accessible to me now.  As you said though, the length of cool/cold spells is still the main issue.

[Jim in Los Altos]

3 hours ago, Than said:

10b is everyone's dream, jealous of you! I feel guilty for being happy that winters become warmer, global warming is a disaster, but I can't help being happy that I am now zone 10a. Hopefully some more species will be accessible to me now.  As you said though, the length of cool/cold spells is still the main issue.

With a global temperature rise of 1°C since 1880, I doubt that’s been the main reason for a few area’s planting zones going up. There are many factors involved. The earth was MUCH warmer and with much more plant life at a point in prehistoric time. My area is a zone 10a, not 10b but we’ve been fortunate to have 10b winter lows most winters since 2007.