Arenga engleri not good in cold winter follow by cool summers

[Palm crazy]

After three years in the ground I have given up on Arenga engleri growing here as a long term palm. In the last two years this is what it grew.

Year one, one spear,

Year two spear opens, that's it!

Taking it out and growing as a indoor/out palm hopefully that will speed up the palm. Not impressed with it slow growth in cool climates.
In the spring it will green back up and look better.

Edited March 13, 2013 by Palm crazy

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Two years is not long enough for this palm to prove itself in your climate. Your seasons are so short, you will get about 2-3 months of growth at best to get it established so double the time it takes to get established elsewhere, or maybe even triple it. Therefore you need to baby this one for a bit longer before giving up on it. Once it's bigger it will grow for longer.

Also, I would recommend growing this against a south facing wall that far North. it's not something that will grow well in the woods up there. From the picture you posted, it looks like it's in a cool shaded place.

[daxin]

A. engleri is from Ryukyu and Taiwan, where summer is very hot and humid. Maybe you can try A. micrantha, which according to Jason (JasonD), grows much better in SF. Plus it is also a more elegant palm IMO.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

I am going to try A. micrantha but even Jason's report isn't glowing, two leaves per year per growing stem @Strying isn't what I call fast, but a. engleri apparently doesn't grow at all in San Francisco. Seattle gets more warmth than San Francisco and ironically has a better chance with a. engleri.

I have had good luck with arenga here, but we have a 12 month growing season, and it's warm enough for my arengas to grow from April through about November.

[sarasota alex]

A. engleri is from Ryukyu and Taiwan, where summer is very hot and humid. Maybe you can try A. micrantha, which according to Jason (JasonD), grows much better in SF. Plus it is also a more elegant palm IMO.

They are no longer considered the same species. The one from Ryukyu is now A. ryukyuensis and A. engleri is only from Taiwan.

[sonoranfans]

My A engleri didnt like being wet all the time, it got mold spot fungus in the late fall. I think this palm has to dry cycle. They have many great looking specimens at bush gardens in tampa that obviously get less water than my lawn... Up in washington(and san fran) it gets very wet in the cool season, I wonder if that is the issue...

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

My A engleri didnt like being wet all the time, it got mold spot fungus in the late fall. I think this palm has to dry cycle. They have many great looking specimens at bush gardens in tampa that obviously get less water than my lawn... Up in washington(and san fran) it gets very wet in the cool season, I wonder if that is the issue...

My arengas make it through the Winter with 50 inches of rain in between November and April. I have sandy fast draining soil. No issues here at all getting them through the Winter. I have problems giving them enough water in the Summer.

[gyuseppe]

Arenga engleri and micrantha ,these species are very good for my climate, we are hot from April to November,

this winter we also had ,no cold very

[Palm crazy]

Axel the only difference from Seattles hot weather and the Bay area our the months.

Hottest months in Seattle July-August, Bay area Sept-Oct. ...I think Seattle has warmer nights all summer than S.F.

My palm gets about 5 hours of full sun but the Banksia in a few years will take over that spot so I'm going with Chamaedorea radicalis trunking.

Funny thing was as soon as I posted this palm on Cloudforest [2010] everyone there said the same thing as Daxin, needs lots of heat, and not just for 2-3 months. Daxin I may try A. micrantha in the future, [Maybe].

Here's what it look like back in September 2010 when it was on the westside of the house. The burnt leaf on the left happen in August after a few 100F+ days.

The following spring replanted on the 'East' side so it would have overhead canopy and the same amount of full sunshine [5 hours].

We're in a very warm rainy pattern this week so this is the time to pot it up.

Thanks

Roger.

[Palm crazy]

Here's the space I'm looking at, when that big yellow thing in the sky shows up it will then be sunny from 10 am to 4 pm. [summer hours] in this spot.

[JasonD]

Arenga micrantha at the SF Botanical Garden is slow but beautiful, well worth the wait, especially because the increase per new leaf is significant. I don't believe though that it will tolerate as much frost as A. engleri.

[sacha]

Arenga micrantha at the SF Botanical Garden is slow but beautiful, well worth the wait, especially because the increase per new leaf is significant. I don't believe though that it will tolerate as much frost as A. engleri.

what are the minimas for the Arenga micrantha ?