Allagoptera arenaria

[bubba]

This is an interesting Palm from Brazil that is capabable of coastal exposure. This specimen grows at Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens in West Palm:

Anyone growing this? Show me yours and your experiences!

[Peter Pacific]

Morning bubba! I ordered seeds and have them in germination right now but not much is happening. A friend, Scott, is growing these up the beach. We are literally steps from the surf and they are just beautiful, I´ll tell him to post some pics.

Peter

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

I purchased a wonderful specimen in Homestead FL a month or two ago. I've planted it in as dry a site as I have. It's dropping fruit everywhere! I should try to germinate some, I suppose. I'm hopeful it has the moxy to withstand the Jacksonville winter. Since it's still getting established, I'll protect it from our occasional frosty nights. Once established, I think this species is pretty hardy taking temperatures into the mid 20's without trouble. At least I hope it does!

[DoomsDave]

They are an underused palm, no doubt about it.

The only trouble is that, at least here in Cali, they're slower than Congress in a dither . . .

[PalmGuyWC]

I purchased a double arenaria last year about this time. (two in a good sized pot) They came through my winter fine with lathe overhead protection and a lot of sun. I would guess they were exposed to 25F last winter. They have grown about 1 frond in a year. Very slooow in N. Calif. By the time I'm 150 they should be blooming.

Dick

[Kai]

I've got some seedlings here and last winter they were kept outside, unprotected and 2 out of 5 died. This was just a little experiment and I think they are very hardy to cold now. I'm in zone 8b here and last winter was terrible, killing allmost everything. For a couple of weeks long I've had below freezing temperatures in daytime with night temps dropping to -15 C sometimes. Only 3 little leafs in 1,5 year...

[madagascarbob]

Mine looks good year round and was not hurt by the freeze , it's split and flowering now .

[Ken Johnson]

I purchased a double arenaria last year about this time. (two in a good sized pot) They came through my winter fine with lathe overhead protection and a lot of sun. I would guess they were exposed to 25F last winter. They have grown about 1 frond in a year. Very slooow in N. Calif. By the time I'm 150 they should be blooming.

Dick

So Dick,You think they will bloom in just a few more years?

BTW they have a spicate inflorecences. Looks like corn on th ecob when seeding.

[PalmGuyWC]

Ken,

Har de har, har. Very funny, but not to far from the truth. I have seen them bloom and used to collect the spathes for dried arrangements. I wish I could get my hands on some pollen. Patrick Schafer actually crossed Jubaea with Allagoptera and got two seeds to germinate, but he accidently snapped the roots off when moving from the community pot, and they bit the dust. A. arenaria hardly moves in N. Calif, but I have a small A. leucocalyx and it's growing at a pretty good clip.

Dick

[mjff]

Here is mine. It is planted near some Pentas that survived 23F last winter, so I am hopeful that in this very sheltered spot it will survive our winters. I will probably spray some Freeze Pruf on it this winter as well.

[Rusty on Pine Is.]

This is one of those palms that pictures don't really do them justice....they're really pretty interesting.

Rusty

[Really full garden]

This is one of my favorite palms.Really slow to get to a decent size.I like the way the leaves shimmer in the sun.

This is one of mine that gets full frontal beach exposure.

[Really full garden]

This was taken Feb.4 2017. Same palm 8 years later

 

[Al in Kona]

This Allagoptera arenaria has grown quite large over the years in my upslope South Kona, Hawaii garden.  Never gets fertilized or given supplemental water and still handles dry periods well in our rocky volcanic soil.