Areca spp. and cold tolerance

[Jason in Orlando]

Just a few observations about Areca spp. and cold tolerance that I noticed from this past winter. First, the low temperature was about 31F with scattered frost. All palms noted here were under canopy and likely did not have any frost exposure. I am also not entirely sure that they were exposed to freezing temps where they were, but it was close. Unfortunately I was in Pennsylvania at the time (where it really WAS freezing...), and I am relying on local weather observations to draw my conclusions. Freeze event was on January 2nd. No other freezing temps were noted this season, although there were several nights when temps dropped into the 30s F. For those who may not be familiar with the Fahrenheit scale, 32F = 0C. Here is what I noticed:

Areca catechu, guppyana, hutchinsoniana, ipot, macrocalyx, and macrocarpa received some level of damage. Areca vestiara received almost no damage, while Areca triandra received none. Of the former spp., A. hutchinsoniana performed the best, with only some minor spotting. It has also been the species that has recovered the fastest. I lost no individuals of this species. I did lose some A. catechu (2 of 8), A. guppyana (2 of 5), A. ipot (3 of 5), and A. macrocalyx (3 of 5). Some of these losses may have been due to dry conditions as well, as I was a bit lax with the hose, and none of the aforementioned deaths occurred immediately. I know this is far from being scientific, but the point that I'd like to make is that, of the larger solitary Areca spp., A. hutchinsoniana seems to have tolerated the cold the best (by far). I'll try to post some photos in the very near future.

I'd like to know if anyone else has had similar experiences (or contrary experiences for that matter).

Thanks in advance for anything you all can share.

Jason

[cobra2326]

Thanks for posting this. I've read in certain places (Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms, etc.) that A. vestiaria can be a 10a palm if protected from frost. Some people seem to want to constantly dispute this. I'll be giving this a try next winter as I've got about 60 A. vestiaria 'red' seedlings I also have a couple hutchinsoniana, catechu, and a macrocalyx, so it's encouraging to know these can at least handle 30's.

[cfkingfish]

Those findings sound about right to me. A. macrocalyx is a tender plant - I am surprised any survived 31F. The one here at the garden burns around 40F.

[Walter John]

My catechus hate cold whilst vestiaras go okay as long as they get lotsa water (all seasons drinker), I lost an ipot to cold once, triandra are fine and are probably the easiest Areca to grow.

[Kathryn]

I have two small Areca triandra palms under canopy that got to 28ºF (-2ºC) several times this winter and had no damage. I usually have several frost events, but none this past winter. These two plants are growing about twice as fast as the one I have in a pot.

[The Palm Nut]

As far as I know I have the most southerly growing Areca vestiara, catechu, and triandra of a large size and have been growing for over 10years. Catechu is 30ft of trunk, triandra 12ft and vestiara the oldest and slowest at 5 feet of trunk. I have lost many of these over the years which were planted out in the garden. If you can provide the right conditions and keep the soil on the dry side during cold spells ( this is essential when young and getting established) you have a good chance of success. Even now with the size mine are at particularly the catechu which is now exposed to the cold winds due to its height could die, I sure hope not though.

The four seeds on the vestiara are still growing, keeping my fingers crossed that they will mature and germinate for spring.

Cheers

Mike

[Eric in Orlando]

Jason,

We are growing A. triandra, vestiaria (single and clumping form), catechu, and guppyana here at Leu Gardens. I tried a A. macrocalyx but it died, very tender. I have a maroon vestaria and a A. latiloba to plant out. Areca triandra is definitely the hardiest. Ours is about 8ft tall and flowering but no seeds yet.

[Jason in Orlando]

Jason,

We are growing A. triandra, vestiaria (single and clumping form), catechu, and guppyana here at Leu Gardens. I tried a A. macrocalyx but it died, very tender. I have a maroon vestaria and a A. latiloba to plant out. Areca triandra is definitely the hardiest. Ours is about 8ft tall and flowering but no seeds yet.

I'll have to stop back over there one of these days while I'm working nights. I have A. latiloba too; forgot to include them in the report. Lost 2 out of 5. I'd rate them as about as hardy as A. guppyana, which is less than vestiaria, and hutchinsoniana, and slightly more hardy than macrocalyx. I love this entire genus of palms...

Jason

[Eric in Orlando]

Give me a holler when you come by !

[JakeK]

While this may be of little importance to most on the board, Areca vestiaria performs like a champ indoors in very cool conditions (temps in the low 60's). It's one of the easiest palms to grow that i have.

[paulgila]

this is great info,i have wanted to try a.triandra for a long time!

[elHoagie]

Awesome, thanks for the info. Maybe I'll try A. hutchinsoniana...

Here's my limited experience growing very small seedlings in an unheated cold frame in SoCal. The cold frame is pretty cold in the winter, and dropped just below freezing in Jan 2007...

A. triandra - never a problem, no spotting on the leaves.

A. vestiaria - "maroon" form both died quickly during the first winter in 2004-2005, probably by January, and I don't think the temperature was ever below 2 or 3 degrees (mid 30s F). The regular "green leaf" form has grown just fine, although it spots up a little in the winter.

A. catechu - just picked one up a couple months ago, so we'll see...

[TikiRick]

"If you can provide the right conditions and keep the soil on the dry side during cold spells ( this is essential when young and getting established) you have a good chance of success."

Mike,

I was always under the impression that wet soil is better during cold spells. I would think that water would conduct the cold deep into the soil that is wet, but this is what I have always been lead to believe. Is it your experience that dry soil is better under these circumstances??

[Jason in Orlando]

I'm wondering if it's that dry soil tends to mean less water in the palm's tissues, and therefore less chance of cellular rupture when water in the leaves freezes. Perhaps this accounts for palms in relatively dry California seemingly taking much colder temps without damage than the same palm in relatively wet Florida (Archontophoenix immediately comes to mind). Maybe it's some other factor.

Jason

[elHoagie]

"If you can provide the right conditions and keep the soil on the dry side during cold spells ( this is essential when young and getting established) you have a good chance of success."

Mike,

I was always under the impression that wet soil is better during cold spells. I would think that water would conduct the cold deep into the soil that is wet, but this is what I have always been lead to believe. Is it your experience that dry soil is better under these circumstances??

Rick,

I think it's more about soil temperatures. At 32 or 34 degrees latitude the soil is pretty cold in the winter, so if you have wet soil the roots on tropical plants tend to rot. You have to water a little bit when you have some warm days, so that the soil is fairly dry for the really cold spells.

[The Palm Nut]

I live along side the Hastings River close to the ocean so temperatures of 0C are rare but 2C to 5C quite common. Traditionally our winters tend to be on the dry side particularly midwinter onwards, but the last couple of years have seen the opposite. Is this global warming or a 20 year weather cycle for this area, who knows. But one thing is for sure I have lost a couple of hundred dollars worth of palm seedlings due to these last couple of cold wet winters, all of which were planted out in the garden including the vestiaria’s. The seedlings that survived had protection from the rain such as one of the coconut seedlings which actually germinated follow a particularly cold and wet winter. This protection was provided via a large Latania lontaroides leaf. Also seedlings that were planted close to mature palms and plants in general tended to survived and I would of expected this to be the case due to the moisture intake of these large plants, most of which grow vigorously all year round.

Hope this helps towards answering your questions

Cheers

Mike