How to keep Areca palm tamed

[harkdh]

Hi, I am trying to figure out the best palm to plant for both privacy and tropical look in my small back yard. I live in Florida, zone 10. I've looked at every imaginable palm and keep coming back to Areca, though it is by far my favorite. But it will grow in full sun and provide the privacy I am looking for in a short period of time. But what I don't like about them is the clumping, I prefer a nice neat look and ability to see the stalks opposed to a massive growth of palms that will tend to get larger and bushier over time. Is it possible to keep Areca palms to just a few mature stalks while keeping a nice full canopy? How would I go about that and is it a lot of maintenance (I prefer low maintenance).

Thanks

[TampaPalms]

Areca palms I would say are the most time-consuming palms as far as maintenance goes or at least the top three. I have researched them over the years and have eight in my backyard.  Once they start growing after a year or so of establishment they are fast growing and can grow two or three feet in a growing season no sweat. They are self-cleaning though so when the palm fronds die you can easily rip them off and I'm always keeping after them.

As far as thinning them I am curious too because I've had them in the ground three years and this is the first year I am going to thin them. I have gotten conflicting advice saying if I thin them out too much they are more susceptible to rot and or will not grow as fast anymore. You would always want stalks to grow to replace the larger stalks that will eventually die off. And continually trimming the newer ones that grow and eventually the seed pods that create volunteers is going to be time consuming as well. 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2020 by TampaPalms

[The Gerg]

Personally I think they look best with about 5 stems. Same with most Dypsis clumpers IMO.

Below is my still young Dypsis lutescens. Some people take time to separate them at the roots. I just cut off the smaller ones above the soil line. No negative side effects yet. (Pics from April 2020).
 

[harkdh]

Yes, that's what I would like. When purchased at the nursery in say a 15 gallon pot, there's maybe 20 or more stems. Maybe I can just cut them at the root after the palm has established itself.

[V-Cycle]

Get Dypsis pembana instead.

[Gonzer]

[PalmatierMeg]

A chain saw works wonders and is quick.

I agree with @V-Cycle Dypsis pembana is a far superior palm in every way - better looking, cold hardier, fewer stems. Or instead of buying a pot of two dozen artificially clumped scraggly stems, look for pots of Dypsis lutescens (scientific name) that have fewer larger stems. I have two that I keep trimmed to 3-5 stems but otherwise my opinion is Dypsis lutescens is an overrated, overused trash palm and a blight on any neighborhood it grows because owners won't keep it under control.

[Merlyn]

I agree on Dypsis Pembana.  I planted a pot of 3 plants, roughly 3 feet tall overall in April 2019.  It's now 12-14 feet tall and semi-clustering.  The center palm below is the Pembana in October, sitting between a Bambusa Viridi-Vittatta (Asian Lemon) on the left and a Phoenix Roebellini (Pygmy Date) triple on the right. 

Here is a closeup of the trunks, with a "doinker" growing out the side of one of the trunks.

They went through 35F and frost for 2 nights in early December with no damage, and 28F and frost the morning of 12/26 with only frost burn on the top leaves.  I bought a batch of seedlings from PalmatierMeg over the summer and will be growing these up to make a nice hedgeline on the East side of my lot.  The nice thing about Pembana, other than that I like the leaves better than Lutescens, is that they are semi-clustering instead of profusely clustering.  There were originally 3 plants in the pot, and each one has made only 1 or 2 offsets.  So I can always see the neat chalky-white trunks without having to prune anything back.

[Bkue]

I have over 250 outlining the property. Most now have a few with trunks. I planted as 3gal and are now 10-15ft depending on water. Some with 5ft trunk. They are planted on the exterior of the fence. The interior fence is planted with jasmine. It is about time I start trimming the volunteers. Any suggestions?