Arenga pinnata in SoCa

[Phoenikakias]

I wonder, whether the cultivation of this palm in SoCa is easy or the growers there are confronted with some problems. In my case (Attica, Greece, which is hoter than costal SoCa in summer but considerably colder in mean and absolute temps in winter)I have a very positive experience on this palm. After the first difficult years of establishment, this palm shows an increasing cool-hardiness. This last winter was very cold in mean temps (constantly low temps for over a month and occasionally light dry frost). Nevertheless this palm never stopped growing actually in my garden (only slowdown in growth), although this was not my wish, because when a spear unfolds during late winter to early spring suffers of damage on the still tender leaflets due to the strong and cold northern wind. But as a whole it is in optimal condition. The following pictures have been taken today.

[paulgila]

i have seen some nice arenga pinnata here in socal(san diego area),some quite large.

i am growing it too. mine has been in the ground maybe 4 years,growing slowly still but hoping its gonna take off soon.

[gyuseppe]

Konstantinos , the southern europe is not too hot for this species?

especially in summer, is in a place more sheltered from the sun?

[MattyB]

I too am growing this massive palm. Mine is only about 7 feet tall and has been in the ground for 2 years. It tends to yellow and get a bit tattered in the winter, but not too bad.

[paulgila]

i dont think "too hot" is an issue,it may be more a question of humidity because they should be able to take all the heat you can give them.

[DoomsDave]

Konstantinos:

You've got a nice one there!

A. pinnata do grow here in So-Cal, but I've found them hard to start when small. I've got one that didn't grow and got trampled. I think it's one of those species that has to be planted relatively large or you lose it. Yours certainly looks big enough to scare off the tramplers . . . .

There's a huge one (or was) by the infamous Crystal Court in Costa Mesa that was about 50 feet (17 m) tall, and about 3 feet (1 m) thick at the base. BIG! If you can get one to grow in Greece, I'm all for that!

Be prepared for when they eventually go to seed and the entire plant dies.

Meantime, revel in their magnificence!

[Mr Rare]

My A. pinnata is approx. 14 years in the ground from a five gallon container. It is presently loaded with infrutesence's and seed will be available shortly.

It has been a good grower and has always looked great .

I will hate to see it go.

[aussiearoids]

Mine is really taking off after good rains this year , I find the leaves a bit soft , or could it be the few big storms we have had recently ? Already planted a few big leaf Philos around base . It does not seem to be an easy sp. to find I would not mind a few more .

[MattyB]

Jeff, have you tried Arenga westerhoutii? I think it's A. pinata's more handsome cousin.

[Phoenikakias]

Sincere thnx for all replies. Admittedly Arenga pinnata in my climate is a very sneaky plant to get grown from the seedling stage and then get established in its final place. All Arengas IMHO love clay in soil, also Arenga pinnata, but latter when juvenile resents very wet soils. That was the problem I had to solve. The Arenga in picture has been grown from strap leaf seedling to outplantable size in a pot with very very porous medium and absolutely no clay in it. Then I have dried out completely peat and mixed it in a ratio of 20% -80% with pumice. I used this mixture to fill from surface downwards to a depth of around 35 cm the hole, in which Arenga had been outplanted. Pumice is however a variable material and there are kinds of pumice that turn to slush quite readily, but fortunately the pumice available here is very durable (with heat insulating properties), literally sometimes pieces of this pumice can scratch stone or even a tile!

@ Giuseppe: Heat is not an issue for Arenga pinnata. Maybe the lack of airhumidity, which is too low in full sun, presents a problem and therefore, when smal, this Arenga needs 50% shade. But when outgrown even this Arenga tolerates more sun or more precisely it needs it! My plant was growing in this place till two years ago under the canopy of two citrus trees. When those trees were removed the palm started to grow faster, to become robuster and more cold tolerant again IMHO due the more sun it receives during summer.

[dalmatiansoap]

Konstantinos do U have A. Engleri in the ground? Do they all need same conditions?

[Phoenikakias]

Yes Ante I have an Arenga engleri in ground, which is fruiting. It also grows in clay soil but seedlings from seed of this plant grow in pot in very porous medium.

[DoomsDave]

My A. pinnata is approx. 14 years in the ground from a five gallon container. It is presently loaded with infrutesence's and seed will be available shortly.

It has been a good grower and has always looked great .

I will hate to see it go.

Nice to see you join our merry band . .

[QUINNPALMS]

Just transplanted this A. pinnata (i think) a couple wks ago , dont know if its because I moved it from shade to sun , but alot of the leafs are turnin brown... ill post an update pic... as soon as poss.

[MattyB]

Here's a few shots of my Arenga pinata, grown from seed that Paul collected in Bali. This thing is only about 3-4 inches in diameter at the base but it's pushing larger and larger leaves with each frond it opens.