Howea forsteriana (sooo slooow!)

[Walt]

I started this post, not so much to ask a question, but just to show all my ultra slow growing Howea forsteriana palm.

I bought this palm semi-bare root from an online source, I think back in 2000 or 2001. I believe it was a 5 gallon size, but a small 5 gallon size.

In any event, I potted the palm up in a good top soil mix. The palm, considering it's rated as a slow grower, seemed to grow reasonably well.

In the first photo below, this is what my Howea looked like a year or so later (after receiving it in the mail). The green pot that it's in is about a 5 galloon size or maybe slightly smaller.

The second photo below shows my Howea 4-1/2 months later, and you can see it's a little bigger.

I took this photo right after I potted up my Howea to a much larger pot, probably a 15 gallon size.

I potted it up to the 15 gallon size as I reasoned the palm would grow better and faster. WRONG! I guess I must have over watered the palm as it started to decline markedly. After a long while I finally got disgusted with it and took it out of the 15 gallon pot, only to see that there was root rot and just a poor overall root system. My fault, as I wasn't familar with Howea water requirments.

I then repotted the Howea in a smaller pot to accomodate the existing root system and reduced the water substantially. After a while the Howea started to recover. Then, maybe 2-3 years ago, I planted it in the ground where it got some overhead tree canopy protection and only broken sun.

The palm just grew slowly without any further problems, until this past winter when it experienced three back to back nights of freezing temperatures (27, 23.5, and 27 degrees F). I did, however, throw some flannel sheets over the palm, letting them drape down all around the palm and down to the ground, so as to capture any rising ground heat. However, three of the top fronds still got burned, from heat transfer from the palm leaves via the sheets to the surrounding air. All lower fronds, and those not contacting the sheets were mostly undamaged.

But my main point of this post is to show all just how slow my Howea has grown over the last seven years. As of today this palm only has about 3 inches of skinny trunk and the overall height, I think, is even shorter. I know this species is slow, but I guess there's something genetically wrong with mine.

This is one species of palm I've never seen in my area, at least in the ground. Hence, I intend to do all I can to see that this one survives. If I get another cold night (23.5F) this winter, this time I will cover the palm better and also incorporate some string lights so as to add some supplemental heat.

Also, I'm considering getting another H. forsteriana as I think this one isn't growing normally.

[Rafael]

Firstly thanks for posting about one of my favourite palms.

I have one howea too, and i am speaking about her here: http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?sh...mp;#entry353456

Your palm looks fine, anyway slow growing!

Mine faced, three nights with -1,8, -2,6 and - 3,8ºC (and 3 nights with frost, one with some strong frost), after recently put in the ground, because its behaviour indoors was not good.

Now she has some sun burn, and some recent fronds and kind of drying.

I havent yet lost my expectations about her, but i am worried.

Anyway i think its problem comes from the indoors phase, and if i loose it i will certainly buy another one, bigger, cause i love this specie.

Hope your howea goes through this winter, finely! I think she is beautiful although slow growing!

Edited December 27, 2009 by rafael

[Zeeth]

My 2 seem to grow in spurts. They will sit for a while with minimal growth, then grow a few inches one night, then sit a while etc... Also, the one I have indoors grows faster than the one outdoors. While the one outdoors has only grown one frond since I got it in spring, the one indoors has grown 3. Probably genetic though, not sure.

[Pivi]

Mine faced, three nights with -1,8, -2,6 and - 3,8ºC (and 3 nights with frost, one with some strong frost), after recently put in the ground, because its behaviour indoors was not good.

Now she has some sun burn, and some recent fronds and kind of drying.

I havent yet lost my expectations about her, but i am worried.

Hi Rafael!

Are you sure it's sunburn? I mean, it is mid winter, and your palm was planted just a few days before the lowest temperatures and frosts.

It's not good to plant palms in winter especially not just before minimal temperatures as i said before. So i would address your problems in that way.

Also you have to realize that we still have a whole winter in front of us. Howea is a tough palm and can take low temperatures, but planting it in winter is not good at all (if you ask me) and in that case palm is much more sensitive than one planted in spring.

Anyway, I hope she'll do fine and I don't recommend you do your plantings again in winter.

Edited December 27, 2009 by Pivi

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Hi walt

the Howea definately looks healthey enough to me planted outdoors . It certainly hasn't grown alot since 2002 ,hard to see a difference .

I have a large Howea planted out ( dug it out of my old garden ) thats 5 ft tall and just about to trunk . I bought it as a tiny 1 gallon in 1999 and planted it out straight away it always makes 3 large fronds per year and loves plenty of water in summer , I feed it liquid seaweed every 3 weeks from summer -Autum and sprinkle fishmeal/bloodmeal pellets around its roots every spring.

Here is a pic of mine today

and here is a pic of a small Howea (same size as my big one when it was planted) that i have placed next to mine to show how much it has grown over the 10 yrs .

Maybe it is a genetically inferior palm ,in which case get another one . Or maybe it just sulks in the long hot steamy summers of Florida .

[chris.oz]

I have 7 in the ground. At this timer of year I drown them in water and they can take it no problems. I have a further 20 or so in pots and I get 2-3 fronds per year. The plant you have is carrying plenty of leaves, but its a difficult issue. In the shade... slow as . In full afternoon sun, they will burn. The best compromise is full morning sun, and under those conditions they will trunk with a very robust thick trunk. In the first years in full sun the leaves will burn badly and that will be a big setback. The Howea can eventually take full sun, but the transition period is difficult.

[Davidl]

I have never had luck with howea forsteriana in fl outdoors. I know there are some people that have been able to grow them but here it seems impossible to me. They just languish until they die.

[PalmatierMeg]

Howeas really hate FL hot, humid summer days and sultry nights - all 6+ months of them. I have 2 H.f. (down from 15 seedlings in 2004) and 1 H. b. planted in my shade garden. They limp through summers but really enjoy winters. I really love this genus but am unsure how these palms will do longterm. I don't want to turn them into houseplants.

[Walt]

Thanks, everyone, for all of your informative and experienced replies.

From what I've gathered, H. Fosteriana produces about three fronds per year. Well, I think that's about what mine is producing. I have an unopened spear now and when it starts to open I will note the date, and again the date when I think it's fully opened. Then I will track how many fronds my Howea cranks out per year.

When I first got into the palm hobby I had a journal on each of my palms, which I mainly tracked the frond count, plus the overall height of the palm. I did this because I wanted, empirically, to know more about how they grew. I also noted if any of my palms suffered cold damage. I think I must have lost 25 species of palms over the years to freezes and/or diseases.

BTW, when I planted my Howea, I had already heard how they don't like Florida's summer heat and humidity. Hence, I planted the palm on the north side of a large clump of red bay trees. Some of the higher limbs arched out over the palm to help protect it on radiational cooling nights. Plus, the clump of bay trees themselves blocked the direct sunlight to where my Howea only received broken sun. As a result, it's never shown any yellowing or browning or otherwise as a result of too much direct sun. However, the Laurel Wilt disease that kills many species of trees in the Persea genus has killed 80 percent of my bay trees (red bay, swamp bay, and silk bay). Almost all of the clumps of red bay that were providing shade and cover for my Howea are now dead, but are still holding their dead leaves. I've been cutting as many dead bay trees down I can and burning them. However, some are too big for me to cut down, not because I can't, but because if I cut them down they will damage and kill so many tender plantings I have beneath them. Hence, I need to hire a tree trimmer with bucket truck to cut the limbs in smaller pieces and then throw the limbs clear of my plantings.

Other than for what I percieve as slow growth (but surely not as slow as my several species of Cocothrinax), I think my Howea has done rather well. Only this past winter (which the one night of the really hard freeze was well below normal) it incurred foliage damage. The two proceeding winters my Howea was not damaged.

Once my Howea regrows its full canopy, even though it is small, it will look great. At least to me, anyway.

[PalmatierMeg]

Walt, from your photos that is a gorgeous palm. It's done well for you. It's 3x the size of my 2. Mine are looking pretty good now - nice dark, droopy leaves. The H.b. seems to have a harder time. Its fronds are much paler and nothing I try seems to darken them up. These palms also hate my alkaline, sandy soil but I added compost and top soil when I planted them. I also mulch them heavily. My shade garden is attracting lots of earthworms (which the opossums love to dig for) so all my work must be accomplishing something.

Here are photos of my H.f.s taken in September

Howea forsteriana #1

Howea forsteriana #2

[Walt]

Meg: Both of your H.F. palm look great. If they continue to grow and maintain that green look, then there's not much more you can ask for.

My soil out here on the Lake Wales Ridge is very acidic. Most soils are in the high 3 to low 4, pH wise. Years ago I had a composite soil sample tested and my pH was 3.64! I use dolomitic lime and wood ash to help bring my pH up.

Rafael: I forgot to say that your H. F. looks great. I wish mine was that size. I did see your previous posting that you linked to, and that's what inspired me to post about my Howea, to get comments from others.

[happ]

Extremely slow grower for me, as well. After 10 yrs there is maybe 8" of trunk. This howea has never had direct sunlight but I continue to raise the overhead canopy because of the palm's long fronds [hopefully the benjamin ficus will outgrow the kentia]. How does howea f. do in the sun?

[MattyB]

Yours will be fine Happ once it hits the sun. They can handle the sun once they get older.

[PalmatierMeg]

Happ, they don't like our ferocious sun in SWFL, at least when small. That dark green color only comes with shade. If they emerge above my queen palm canopy (not in my lifetime) they are on their own.

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Extremely slow grower for me, as well. After 10 yrs there is maybe 8" of trunk. This howea has never had direct sunlight but I continue to raise the overhead canopy because of the palm's long fronds [hopefully the benjamin ficus will outgrow the kentia]. How does howea f. do in the sun?

Happ

That is surprising ! I thought in southern California being the perfect climate for Howeas (like Sydney ) that they would put out 5 fronds per year at least.

Perhaps the heavy shade is slowing it down .

[happ]

Extremely slow grower for me, as well. After 10 yrs there is maybe 8" of trunk. This howea has never had direct sunlight but I continue to raise the overhead canopy because of the palm's long fronds [hopefully the benjamin ficus will outgrow the kentia]. How does howea f. do in the sun?

Happ

That is surprising ! I thought in southern California being the perfect climate for Howeas (like Sydney ) that they would put out 5 fronds per year at least.

Perhaps the heavy shade is slowing it down .

It puts our fronds [probably more than 5 a year] but the trunk is extremely slow.

[Rafael]

Meg: Both of your H.F. palm look great. If they continue to grow and maintain that green look, then there's not much more you can ask for.

My soil out here on the Lake Wales Ridge is very acidic. Most soils are in the high 3 to low 4, pH wise. Years ago I had a composite soil sample tested and my pH was 3.64! I use dolomitic lime and wood ash to help bring my pH up.

Rafael: I forgot to say that your H. F. looks great. I wish mine was that size. I did see your previous posting that you linked to, and that's what inspired me to post about my Howea, to get comments from others.

Well, thanks Walt for your kind words, but i dont know if my howea will suceed, despite its beauty, cause it is behaving strangly, after its recent problems.

However, hope is something that a have a lot.

I will update this situation, and hope your lovely howea does fine!

[Rafael]

Mine faced, three nights with -1,8, -2,6 and - 3,8ºC (and 3 nights with frost, one with some strong frost), after recently put in the ground, because its behaviour indoors was not good.

Now she has some sun burn, and some recent fronds and kind of drying.

I havent yet lost my expectations about her, but i am worried.

Hi Rafael!

Are you sure it's sunburn? I mean, it is mid winter, and your palm was planted just a few days before the lowest temperatures and frosts.

It's not good to plant palms in winter especially not just before minimal temperatures as i said before. So i would address your problems in that way.

Also you have to realize that we still have a whole winter in front of us. Howea is a tough palm and can take low temperatures, but planting it in winter is not good at all (if you ask me) and in that case palm is much more sensitive than one planted in spring.

Anyway, I hope she'll do fine and I don't recommend you do your plantings again in winter.

Hi Pivi,

Well i know your advisements were correct, but i had to take a risk, because my howea wasnt doing fine indoors, and would be dead in few weeks i think.

And i also think that its behaviour from last days (leaves broken at the middle, or kind of dry) its sequence of its dryness.

Maybe she wont be able to resist, but i wouldnt definitively say its because of the outdoor ground planting in winter.

I will inform about it at the specific topic i have created.

Thanks for all, friend!

Edited December 29, 2009 by rafael

[Tala]

There are a few examples of mature Howea in Fl., most are in south, a few in Key West, and Norm Moody in W.Palm had a few growing in filtered light that were well up into canopy w/ plenty of wood. These do well if you just plant & ignore, extra water, feet., etc. has yet to help in my exp.'s. Bigger does better in sun but full summer sun is just brutal on them. I like the aforementioned sun in a.m., shade in p.m. site.

From what I see the shade def. slows them down, on other hand it keeps frost off them, they can't take that here. But I've seen them go down to 25f under oaks and look perfect. Had one 25f low w/ wind all night, that burned some really bad but did not defoliate them. This one is mine, been growing in same spot for about a decade or so, planted from a 3g pot maybe knee high. Might take another decade before I see any visible stem.

[Walt]

Extremely slow grower for me, as well. After 10 yrs there is maybe 8" of trunk. This howea has never had direct sunlight but I continue to raise the overhead canopy because of the palm's long fronds [hopefully the benjamin ficus will outgrow the kentia]. How does howea f. do in the sun?

Well, seeing your Howea after 10 years and only 8 inches of trunk makes me feel somewhat better about mine's slow growth. I know mine had a major problem with root rot for about a year or so, and that set it back. Your Howea looks great, regardless of its age.

[Tassie_Troy1971]

There are a few examples of mature Howea in Fl., most are in south, a few in Key West, and Norm Moody in W.Palm had a few growing in filtered light that were well up into canopy w/ plenty of wood. These do well if you just plant & ignore, extra water, feet., etc. has yet to help in my exp.'s. Bigger does better in sun but full summer sun is just brutal on them. I like the aforementioned sun in a.m., shade in p.m. site.

From what I see the shade def. slows them down, on other hand it keeps frost off them, they can't take that here. But I've seen them go down to 25f under oaks and look perfect. Had one 25f low w/ wind all night, that burned some really bad but did not defoliate them. This one is mine, been growing in same spot for about a decade or so, planted from a 3g pot maybe knee high. Might take another decade before I see any visible stem.

Looks great dave !

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Here is another Tasmanian kentia growing in my area ,notice how nice and droopy the fronds go in full sun and are always alot lighter green .

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Another really old one growing next to an old victorian style mansion right in the city .

[Walt]

Another really old one growing next to an old victorian style mansion right in the city .

I like that one by the mansion. That must be an old one.

[happ]

Here is another Tasmanian kentia growing in my area ,notice how nice and droopy the fronds go in full sun and are always alot lighter green .

Troy,

That is an amazingly healthy howea for 42S latitude!

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Here is another Tasmanian kentia growing in my area ,notice how nice and droopy the fronds go in full sun and are always alot lighter green .

Troy,

That is an amazingly healthy howea for 42S latitude!

Happ

Howeas are an easy grow down here in coastal areas (no more than 20 miles inland) they grow all through our winter and look great all year . Archontophoenix cunninghamiana does very well also . A purpurea , Bismarck , and nearly all of the Dypsis will survive here but look barely alive and make hardly any growth .

Rhopalostylis , Trachycarpus, Phoenix canariensis, reclinata,chamearops , butia , Hedyscepe,Parajubaea ,and washingtonia all thrive down here .

Happ our climate is basically San francisco but a little warmer in summer ,average rec winter lows are 33f all time low is 27 f way back in 1972.

So even though we are same lattitude as New Hampshire the Oceanic climate is very mild .Its the lack of constant warmth thats the killer !

Recently germinated Chatham Island Rhopystylis from Latt 44 south these should be perfect for me .

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Here is another one in our Botanic gardens

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Another really old one growing next to an old victorian style mansion right in the city .

I like that one by the mansion. That must be an old one.

Walt i reckon that one would be 70 yrs +

[Zeeth]

Here is another Tasmanian kentia growing in my area ,notice how nice and droopy the fronds go in full sun and are always alot lighter green .

Troy,

That is an amazingly healthy howea for 42S latitude!

Happ

Howeas are an easy grow down here in coastal areas (no more than 20 miles inland) they grow all through our winter and look great all year . Archontophoenix cunninghamiana does very well also . A purpurea , Bismarck , and nearly all of the Dypsis will survive here but look barely alive and make hardly any growth .

Rhopalostylis , Trachycarpus, Phoenix canariensis, reclinata,chamearops , butia , Hedyscepe,Parajubaea ,and washingtonia all thrive down here .

Happ our climate is basically San francisco but a little warmer in summer ,average rec winter lows are 33f all time low is 27 f way back in 1972.

So even though we are same lattitude as New Hampshire the Oceanic climate is very mild .Its the lack of constant warmth thats the killer !

Recently germinated Chatham Island Rhopystylis from Latt 44 south these should be perfect for me .

If you don't get too cold, have you tried Beccariophoenix alfredii? I imagine it would grow slowly for you, but no slower than a Howea, and they look really nice too.

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Here is another Tasmanian kentia growing in my area ,notice how nice and droopy the fronds go in full sun and are always alot lighter green .

Troy,

That is an amazingly healthy howea for 42S latitude!

Happ

Howeas are an easy grow down here in coastal areas (no more than 20 miles inland) they grow all through our winter and look great all year . Archontophoenix cunninghamiana does very well also . A purpurea , Bismarck , and nearly all of the Dypsis will survive here but look barely alive and make hardly any growth .

Rhopalostylis , Trachycarpus, Phoenix canariensis, reclinata,chamearops , butia , Hedyscepe,Parajubaea ,and washingtonia all thrive down here .

Happ our climate is basically San francisco but a little warmer in summer ,average rec winter lows are 33f all time low is 27 f way back in 1972.

So even though we are same lattitude as New Hampshire the Oceanic climate is very mild .Its the lack of constant warmth thats the killer !

Recently germinated Chatham Island Rhopystylis from Latt 44 south these should be perfect for me .

If you don't get too cold, have you tried Beccariophoenix alfredii? I imagine it would grow slowly for you, but no slower than a Howea, and they look really nice too.

I have a 3 frond baby one that i intend planting out in 2 yrs

[Zeeth]

Here is another Tasmanian kentia growing in my area ,notice how nice and droopy the fronds go in full sun and are always alot lighter green .

Troy,

That is an amazingly healthy howea for 42S latitude!

Happ

Howeas are an easy grow down here in coastal areas (no more than 20 miles inland) they grow all through our winter and look great all year . Archontophoenix cunninghamiana does very well also . A purpurea , Bismarck , and nearly all of the Dypsis will survive here but look barely alive and make hardly any growth .

Rhopalostylis , Trachycarpus, Phoenix canariensis, reclinata,chamearops , butia , Hedyscepe,Parajubaea ,and washingtonia all thrive down here .

Happ our climate is basically San francisco but a little warmer in summer ,average rec winter lows are 33f all time low is 27 f way back in 1972.

So even though we are same lattitude as New Hampshire the Oceanic climate is very mild .Its the lack of constant warmth thats the killer !

Recently germinated Chatham Island Rhopystylis from Latt 44 south these should be perfect for me .

If you don't get too cold, have you tried Beccariophoenix alfredii? I imagine it would grow slowly for you, but no slower than a Howea, and they look really nice too.

I have a 3 frond baby one that i intend planting out in 2 yrs

Very good, I think everyone should grow this palm if they have the chance to.

[happ]

Here is another Tasmanian kentia growing in my area ,notice how nice and droopy the fronds go in full sun and are always alot lighter green .

Troy,

That is an amazingly healthy howea for 42S latitude!

Happ

Howeas are an easy grow down here in coastal areas (no more than 20 miles inland) they grow all through our winter and look great all year . Archontophoenix cunninghamiana does very well also . A purpurea , Bismarck , and nearly all of the Dypsis will survive here but look barely alive and make hardly any growth .

Rhopalostylis , Trachycarpus, Phoenix canariensis, reclinata,chamearops , butia , Hedyscepe,Parajubaea ,and washingtonia all thrive down here .

Happ our climate is basically San francisco but a little warmer in summer ,average rec winter lows are 33f all time low is 27 f way back in 1972.

So even though we are same lattitude as New Hampshire the Oceanic climate is very mild .Its the lack of constant warmth thats the killer !

Recently germinated Chatham Island Rhopystylis from Latt 44 south these should be perfect for me .

Troy, subtropical palms do so well in Tasmania if would seem coconuts could be grown in Victoria\ Melbourne [as far south in your hemisphere [corresponding north in the northern hemisphere] than any other region

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Here is another Tasmanian kentia growing in my area ,notice how nice and droopy the fronds go in full sun and are always alot lighter green .

Troy,

That is an amazingly healthy howea for 42S latitude!

Happ

Howeas are an easy grow down here in coastal areas (no more than 20 miles inland) they grow all through our winter and look great all year . Archontophoenix cunninghamiana does very well also . A purpurea , Bismarck , and nearly all of the Dypsis will survive here but look barely alive and make hardly any growth .

Rhopalostylis , Trachycarpus, Phoenix canariensis, reclinata,chamearops , butia , Hedyscepe,Parajubaea ,and washingtonia all thrive down here .

Happ our climate is basically San francisco but a little warmer in summer ,average rec winter lows are 33f all time low is 27 f way back in 1972.

So even though we are same lattitude as New Hampshire the Oceanic climate is very mild .Its the lack of constant warmth thats the killer !

Recently germinated Chatham Island Rhopystylis from Latt 44 south these should be perfect for me .

Troy, subtropical palms do so well in Tasmania if would seem coconuts could be grown in Victoria\ Melbourne [as far south in your hemisphere [corresponding north in the northern hemisphere] than any other region

Happ ,apparently coconuts don't do very well in Sydney (same temps as L.a ) you need to get up as far as Port Macquarie to get any long term survivors of cocos.

[Walt]

Tonight's low is forecasted to run between 26F and 31F, depending on low or high ground. I'm not taking any chances with my Howea Forsteriana, so I tented it with layers of moving quilts. It's suppose to be even colder Wednesday morning, so I plan to hook up some string lights inside the tent.

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Tonight's low is forecasted to run between 26F and 31F, depending on low or high ground. I'm not taking any chances with my Howea Forsteriana, so I tented it with layers of moving quilts. It's suppose to be even colder Wednesday morning, so I plan to hook up some string lights inside the tent.

If its under canopy she'll be right ! Hobarts record f low is 27 f that was seen by Howeas back in 1972 .

[Tyrone]

My experience with Howea's is that they are slower than Archontophoenix etc, but not the slowest I've ever grown. (Pseudophoenix take that title. They grow about as fast as stalactites.) My Howea's here put out new leaves all year round, and I'd say my large ones put out 7 spears or more a year. They don't like opening a new spear on a 43C day though. One of mine recently did that and the new leaf is fried. During the heat of summer you can water them like mad. The more water the better they grow. But I'm on heavily mulched sand. You fill a one ft hole up with water and 5 seconds later it's all gone. Howea's like alkaline soil to just slightly acidic soil that is free draining (6.5-8.0 pH). H forsteriana grow down to the high tide mark on Lord Howe Island. Sand is great, heavy clay is not. If pH is too low, ie 5 or lower they tend to get little leaf syndrome. They will take fullsun if allowed to gradually get through the canopy. A shadehouse grown one put straight into Perth summer full sun will die almost before your eyes regardless of how much water you pump into it.

From my own garden I have no frost info as I don't get any, but areas south of Perth saw Howea's brutally burnt by a once in 130 year freeze in 06 where they probably saw - 2C. Most would have come back from it now.

As far as growth rate is concerned my biggest one was about 2ft tall in the ground when I bought my property in 99, growing in fullshade. It's now growing flawlessly in fullsun, as I removed the canopy as it grew, and would be about 6m tall (20ft) with about 1m (3ft) of clear trunk. What amazes me is the stoutness of the thing. It's base would be 50-60cm across at the bottom and the trunk a real thick 30cm once past the base. It's going to be one of the thickest most robust Howea's around, and it doesn't even burn on the hottest days. I'll see if I can get a pic to post of it.

I love Howea's. I wish that when I first planted my rainforest back in 2001 I used more Howea's and less Queen Palms. It would have taken longer to get the canopy, but the final effect would have been incredible. I've seen a house not far from here who went mad and must have planted just dozens, maybe 100 Howea's out in the front garden, and it looks just like Lord Howe Island. You can't see the house, due to the thickness of the Kentia forest. Really cool.

Best regards

Tyrone

[Walt]

Tonight's low is forecasted to run between 26F and 31F, depending on low or high ground. I'm not taking any chances with my Howea Forsteriana, so I tented it with layers of moving quilts. It's suppose to be even colder Wednesday morning, so I plan to hook up some string lights inside the tent.

If its under canopy she'll be right ! Hobarts record f low is 27 f that was seen by Howeas back in 1972 .

I think she'll be alright too, at least for tonight. This time my tent has multi layers, so it has far more insulative efficiency.

[Walt]

My experience with Howea's is that they are slower than Archontophoenix etc, but not the slowest I've ever grown. (Pseudophoenix take that title. They grow about as fast as stalactites.) My Howea's here put out new leaves all year round, and I'd say my large ones put out 7 spears or more a year. They don't like opening a new spear on a 43C day though. One of mine recently did that and the new leaf is fried. During the heat of summer you can water them like mad. The more water the better they grow. But I'm on heavily mulched sand. You fill a one ft hole up with water and 5 seconds later it's all gone. Howea's like alkaline soil to just slightly acidic soil that is free draining (6.5-8.0 pH). H forsteriana grow down to the high tide mark on Lord Howe Island. Sand is great, heavy clay is not. If pH is too low, ie 5 or lower they tend to get little leaf syndrome. They will take fullsun if allowed to gradually get through the canopy. A shadehouse grown one put straight into Perth summer full sun will die almost before your eyes regardless of how much water you pump into it.

From my own garden I have no frost info as I don't get any, but areas south of Perth saw Howea's brutally burnt by a once in 130 year freeze in 06 where they probably saw - 2C. Most would have come back from it now.

As far as growth rate is concerned my biggest one was about 2ft tall in the ground when I bought my property in 99, growing in fullshade. It's now growing flawlessly in fullsun, as I removed the canopy as it grew, and would be about 6m tall (20ft) with about 1m (3ft) of clear trunk. What amazes me is the stoutness of the thing. It's base would be 50-60cm across at the bottom and the trunk a real thick 30cm once past the base. It's going to be one of the thickest most robust Howea's around, and it doesn't even burn on the hottest days. I'll see if I can get a pic to post of it.

I love Howea's. I wish that when I first planted my rainforest back in 2001 I used more Howea's and less Queen Palms. It would have taken longer to get the canopy, but the final effect would have been incredible. I've seen a house not far from here who went mad and must have planted just dozens, maybe 100 Howea's out in the front garden, and it looks just like Lord Howe Island. You can't see the house, due to the thickness of the Kentia forest. Really cool.

Best regards

Tyrone

Tyrone:

I think Howea forsteriana is a great looking palm. If my climate were better suited for them I would have a jungle of them.

Thanks for the pH tip. My soil is very acid, as I'm deep inland, away from the calcium shell near the coasts. I will apply dolomitic lime and try to bring up the pH around my howea. Then maybe it may pick up speed a little due to better mineral uptake.

[Meangreen94z]

On 12/28/2009 at 10:29 AM, PalmatierMeg said:

Walt, from your photos that is a gorgeous palm. It's done well for you. It's 3x the size of my 2. Mine are looking pretty good now - nice dark, droopy leaves. The H.b. seems to have a harder time. Its fronds are much paler and nothing I try seems to darken them up. These palms also hate my alkaline, sandy soil but I added compost and top soil when I planted them. I also mulch them heavily. My shade garden is attracting lots of earthworms (which the opossums love to dig for) so all my work must be accomplishing something.

 

Here are photos of my H.f.s taken in September

 

Howea forsteriana #1

Howea forsteriana #2

Do you still have these? If so any updated pictures on growth rate? Thanks

[PalmatierMeg]

10 hours ago, Meangreen94z said:

Do you still have these? If so any updated pictures on growth rate? Thanks

I still have one forsteriana and the belmoreana. The forsteriana has approx. 3’ of trunk but the belmoreana still hasn’t trunked after all the years. They survived Hurricane Ian but lost most of their canopy so their long term prognosis is guarded. Good news is we are going into winter. Bad news today is Ft. Myers will be the warmest place in the nation at 86F. I may still have a couple small forsteriana and a belmoreana in pots stashed next to the east side of the house where there is a bit of shade. I moved most of my container garden there. I haven’t check on their status lately as we are overwhelmed by storm cleanup.