Arenga micrantha

[FRITO]

Ive read the cold damage data and it seems that it may not be as hardy as it was thought to be when discovered.

where exactly are these palms native to? researching the native climate and weather patterns is always fun.

please post any info you have on this palm along with photos (even if it is small ) groowth rates, sun exposure, etc.

is this just a larger version of Arenga engleri?

[Eric in Orlando]

According to the Kew site, it is native to;

SE. Tibet to E. Himalaya

We have had some planted for about 6 years now. They are slow growers, ours are in bright shade. So far they aren't thick clumpers, one main stem and 2-3 offshoots. They have tolerated 27-28F with no damage.

[The Germinator]

How does tremula fare in the cold. I have seedling in the greenhouse and am not sure if they will survive outside in So-Cal.

[Eric in Orlando]

How does tremula fare in the cold. I have seedling in the greenhouse and am not sure if they will survive outside in So-Cal.

Here Arenga tremula has shown damage at 27-28F.

[tank]

The micrantha that I posted info about in the cold damage data is still kicking and was working on putting on its second (undamaged, normal looking) leaf of the year. The freeze definitely set it back. I have a similarly aged one in a pot that I bring in from the cold that is starting to push its 4 leaf of the year.

This plant basically stops growing for me when it cools down with lows in the 50s F and highs in the upper 70s.

[edbrown_III]

I planted one a number of years ago... freezes in 99 knocked it off. I am trying a second one. they grow so slow though much smaller than Leu gardens one and about 5 years olds.

Ed

[Palmy]

I have several Micrantha at home, Im in Oregon right now. One died at 23, other 2 suffered minor damage (almost none at all), in the open strangly enough and are prefectly fine now. Slow growers here. Some of the Micrantha live at high altitudes.

I have heard some reports that they take snow, and frost, but I dont know if they are correct.

Edited November 13, 2008 by Palmy

[Steve in Brookings]

This plant basically stops growing for me when it cools down with lows in the 50s F and highs in the upper 70s.

That would be my observation as well. This is a plant that needs a warm humid growing season in summer. If it grows vigorously and winter is relatively dry, it will stand a certain degree of cold. But it is not a palm for mild areas with coolish summers. Central Florida and southern Texas are probably the most likely areas for its success in the U.S. I had one that was satisfactory in the greenhouse, but stalled as soon as it was planted out.

[kylecawazafla]

Here is a small one in Gainesville, Florida. It hasn't gone through a winter yet, but it is planted in a very good microclimate. It opened one frond this summer that was substantially larger than the previous frond.

[richnorm]

My growing experience is very different. I put a knee high specimen in-ground 2.5 years ago and it is now head height. It hates the wind but thrives in our cool humid climate and wet puggy clay. It grows through winter at a reasonable pace (opens a leaf mid-winter ). I have it in half day sun but it seems to be searching for more. I bought some seed last year but got very low germination rates.

[Alberto]

I have a few seedlings Of A.micrantha and want to plant them in the ground ,since my A. engleri´s only really grew after put in the ground. My engleris grow fine in the sun and I´m wondering were to plant my micranthas. In shade, sun, red clayish soil or wetter black soil.....?

[Palmy]

The micrantha is interesting. There are reports of it growing painfully slowly and some reports of it growing at a fast clip. Here in the bay area, I have not seen it grow very fast at all. It may push out one fond a year here, last summer it got out 2! I will get a pic up here when I get back to the bay. Very nice white underside.

[steve 9atx]

I'll post a pic of my Micrantha when I get a chance. It was thrashed by hurricane Ike in September.

It's opening a brand new frond right now, though. The overall height is around 10' from a seedling in

probably '03 - so it's not my fastest palm. And, the thing is suckering like crazy. I put it beside the

driveway just because I thought it wouldn't form a clump, but that's just what it's doing. I need to

give some pups away.

Steve

[PalmGuyWC]

I have two A. micranthas, and it's the slowest growing palm I have with maybe 1 frond a year. With some protection overhead mine have taken 25F with no damage. This summer a new spear was about to open as we were having a heat wave. It got up to 113F and cooked the spear. Apparently they won't take extream heat either.

Dick

[richnorm]

This is one of the few palms that is not extremely slow in my challenged growing conditions! This plant would not have seen much above 25C and never experienced frost. As you can see it does not take wind well at all (though this last winter just ended was exceptionally wet and windy) but once in-ground size increases rapidly with each new leaf. You can also see from the photo how threadbare the grass looks. That's because the ground is like a bowl of porridge for six months a year! I get about four leaves per year. No clumping yet.

cheers Richard

[richnorm]

[FRITO]

Thanks everyone for the comments. I got a few 1 gallons from JD anderson about a month ago. They transplanted fine bareroot as its been quite cool here.

Rich nice palm!

[ghar41]

A. micrantha is growing at a steady but slow rate for me...1 leaf a year although I think I had 2 this year. Its in bright shade, and is too close to another large palm so I think its a bit on the dry side. I havent noticed it growing during the 40F-60F highs we experience in the winter......

[ghar41]

....but I am certain A engleri continues growth in cold temperatures because mine is currently opening a frond.

[PalmGuyWC]

I have given up trying to grow Arenga micrantha and A. engleri. They grow slowly for me in a container, but when I plant them they stop growing. My small A engleri justs sits, grows more clorotic and dares me to dig it up. I think they need more night time heat in the summer and they don't like my dense soil. Wallichia disticha is another palm that just sits and will not grow for me. All 3 take temps down to about 25F with no cold damage.

Dick

[Eric in Orlando]

Have you tried Wallichia caryotoides or W. densiflora? Both are hardy into the mid 20sF maybe a little lower.

W. caryotoides

W. densiflora, with unusual inflorescence

[chris78]

I love Arenga, but the only one I got growing is engleri which I have in my jungle garden and is in flower now..... I would love to try others but not sure which ones would do well... ( mostly take cold)..... I would like to try ambong, microcarpa, tremula....

below is a photo of a friend in my jungle next to my engleri

[Caryota_gigas]

A. micrantha at my place took several nasty frosts this year with no damage. I live just down the road from Richard (Richnorm see posts above) and find these are fine in Auckland. I am currently measuring growth rates of palms for a magazine article and can tell you that A. micrantha is currently growing at between 6 and 14mm overnight, and nothing during the day. Temps here currently average approx 24°C day, and 13°C night.

[PalmGuyWC]

Eric,

I misspoke when I said A disticha. I meant to say Wallichia densiflora. I don't think A. disticha would have a chance here. There are a lot palms that will take my minimum temps. but just not enough night heat to grow. My nights are usually upper 50's to mid 60's in the summer time.

Dick

[Moose]

This is one of the few palms that is not extremely slow in my challenged growing conditions! This plant would not have seen much above 25C and never experienced frost. As you can see it does not take wind well at all (though this last winter just ended was exceptionally wet and windy) but once in-ground size increases rapidly with each new leaf. You can also see from the photo how threadbare the grass looks. That's because the ground is like a bowl of porridge for six months a year! I get about four leaves per year. No clumping yet.

cheers Richard

very nice

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

The micrantha that I posted info about in the cold damage data is still kicking and was working on putting on its second (undamaged, normal looking) leaf of the year. The freeze definitely set it back. I have a similarly aged one in a pot that I bring in from the cold that is starting to push its 4 leaf of the year.

This plant basically stops growing for me when it cools down with lows in the 50s F and highs in the upper 70s.

If Yours doesn't grow with highs in the upper 70s and lows in the 50s then it's guaranteed not a micrantha. Those are my usual growing conditions and mine really grows well even with lows in the 40's and highs that barely make it into the 60's in the Winter.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

[Phoenikakias]

A failed bumper! Richard's micrantha is now many times bigger and suckers already...

[Sutter Bob]

Planted a couple of one gallons a few years ago. One died that was exposed to afternoon sun. The other by south side of house is growing very slowly.

One very small arenga sort of tucked under a redwood survived winter just fine.

[richnorm]

Wow only five years ago. The suckers are now bigger than that plant.

[tank]

Wow only five years ago. The suckers are now bigger than that plant.

Please post a picture.

[richnorm]

Took this one 12 months ago -raining and windy out there so best I can do - quite a lot of growth since. Trunk is about six feet tall and a 2 feet across at the base. Must be a dozen suckers, some with about 8 foot leaves.

[tank]

Thanks richnorm. Looks like its gonna get BIG.

Planting three out in my yard this spring.

[Moose]

Wow, that sucker looks real happy Richard.

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Great growth Rich

I have one in my shade house that is about 15 m tall and is extremely slow . My best bet would be to get it into the ground !

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Great growth Rich

I have one in my shade house that is about 15 m tall and is extremely slow . My best bet would be to get it into the ground !

15 meters? Wow, must be one hell of a shade house.

[daxin]

Come on Axel, He probably just missed a decimal point, and you know it's not .15m

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Great growth Rich

I have one in my shade house that is about 15 m tall and is extremely slow . My best bet would be to get it into the ground !

15 meters? Wow, must be one hell of a shade house.

LOL I meant 15 cm ! My tallest palm is only 4 m ! typo Axel !

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Come on Axel, He probably just missed a decimal point, and you know it's not .15m

Of course it's a typo, now I was actually thinking he meant 1.5m but as it turns out it's more like 15cm.

[JasonD]

The micrantha that I posted info about in the cold damage data is still kicking and was working on putting on its second (undamaged, normal looking) leaf of the year. The freeze definitely set it back. I have a similarly aged one in a pot that I bring in from the cold that is starting to push its 4 leaf of the year.

This plant basically stops growing for me when it cools down with lows in the 50s F and highs in the upper 70s.

If Yours doesn't grow with highs in the upper 70s and lows in the 50s then it's guaranteed not a micrantha. Those are my usual growing conditions and mine really grows well even with lows in the 40's and highs that barely make it into the 60's in the Winter.

Micrantha grows slowly but keeps its color and gains size at the San Francisco Botanical Garden, where we're lucky if we get 45 days a year over 70F. They're all in shade, I think.

Arenga engleri, on the other hand, has never survived more than five years there, after stalling out and slowly losing color.