Do kentias/ Howeas grow in Florida?

[jeevesjank]

A few months ago I moved from San Diego to Vero Beach FL on the barrier island. Kentia Palms or Howeas were my favorite species I'd seen growing in San Diego. I have yet to see any since my move to Florida, granted I see quite a few species of palm I didn't see in SoCal, Coconuts, Royals, Foxtails, Christmas palms, Bottle palms etc... Do people just choose not to grow kentia's because they have the option of growing coconuts, or is there something specific regarding Florida's climate that makes it inhospitable for them?

[KennyRE317]

can be done but they just prefer socal's climate over FL, same with Rhopalostylis species

[jeevesjank]

can be done but they just prefer socal's climate over FL, same with Rhopalostylis species

Strange, any reason why? Both of these palms originate from warm subtropical climates, Lord Howe Island and Norfolk island. I'd imagine Central and Southern Florida would have a climate more akin to these places than the drier and cooler California.

[KennyRE317]

someone can correct me if I'm wrong but from everything I've read the FL sun and the very warm nights don't sit as well with those species where as they prefer the cooler nights we get on the west coast. it's sort of how there's plenty of FL 10A/B plants we can't grow out here in socal or they just look like crap most of the time

[Ken Johnson]

Ah, you are a transplant! Yes you will see a big difference here!

[jeevesjank]

Ah, you are a transplant! Yes you will see a big difference here!

Massive difference. I definitely prefer growing conditions here over California! A lot wider variety of tropicals possible here than anywhere in the golden state.

[Tyrone]

Lord Howe Island I don't think has ever recorded a day over 28C. Southern Florida can have that as a minimum in summer. I think there is a big difference between So Florida and Lord Howe Island's climate. How do NC palms do in So Florida?

[PalmatierMeg]

I have 2 forsteriana and 1 belmoreana planted in deep shade in my jungle overlooking a freshwater canal. I've wanted Kentia palms since I was a kid. However, they aren't great palms for FL. Mine love my winter/dry season, hate hot, humid summers. But my palm jungle keeps temps 15 or more degrees lower than ambient air. I've learned many palms can't survive sultry summer nights. Upshot is you may be able to keep Howeas alive under certain circumstances but they are liable to croak at any time. Or you can keep them indoors.

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

A few months ago I moved from San Diego to Vero Beach FL on the barrier island. Kentia Palms or Howeas were my favorite species I'd seen growing in San Diego. I have yet to see any since my move to Florida, granted I see quite a few species of palm I didn't see in SoCal, Coconuts, Royals, Foxtails, Christmas palms, Bottle palms etc... Do people just choose not to grow kentia's because they have the option of growing coconuts, or is there something specific regarding Florida's climate that makes it inhospitable for them?

try Veitchias, Carpentaria, and Ptychospermas. they are similar in morphology, but much happier in Florida's climate. them plant a few kentias just to give them a try. plant them in some shade though.

[jeevesjank]

A few months ago I moved from San Diego to Vero Beach FL on the barrier island. Kentia Palms or Howeas were my favorite species I'd seen growing in San Diego. I have yet to see any since my move to Florida, granted I see quite a few species of palm I didn't see in SoCal, Coconuts, Royals, Foxtails, Christmas palms, Bottle palms etc... Do people just choose not to grow kentia's because they have the option of growing coconuts, or is there something specific regarding Florida's climate that makes it inhospitable for them?

try Veitchias, Carpentaria, and Ptychospermas. they are similar in morphology, but much happier in Florida's climate. them plant a few kentias just to give them a try. plant them in some shade though.

Cool thank you!

[Ken Johnson]

South Florida is Caribbean. In your case you may have direct salt spray, high winds, high pH soil, freezing temperatures and lots of rain from time to time. These factors start to define the palms you can grow well here.

[Eric in Orlando]

Here in central FL they grow well, they just need shade and moist soil. They tolerate some cold but aren't frost tolerant so growing them under tree canopy is beneficial in 2 ways. They are slow growing when young but get a little faster as they age. We have several here at Leu Gardens starting to form clear trunk. They have been in the ground around 15 years with no problems or stunting. I think they like our acidic soil better than the alkaline soil in SoFL. But I have seen nice specimens at SoFL. (Fairchild Gds., Flamingo Gds., Mounts) I also just saw a nice trunking specimen at Disney's Polynesian Resort Hotel a couple weeks ago.

[jeevesjank]

South Florida is Caribbean. In your case you may have direct salt spray, high winds, high pH soil, freezing temperatures and lots of rain from time to time. These factors start to define the palms you can grow well here.

I'm a little confused by your comment, what is 'my case.'

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

South Florida is Caribbean. In your case you may have direct salt spray, high winds, high pH soil, freezing temperatures and lots of rain from time to time. These factors start to define the palms you can grow well here.

I'm a little confused by your comment, what is 'my case.'

Sounds like Ken is trying to point out that you live sandwiched between Central and Southern Florida, which means you probably have Carribean conditions a lot of the time and you get South Florida kind of soil, but are still far North enough to have to deal with some freezes. If you really miss some of the South Zealandia palm species, why don't you try planting a rhopalostylis baueri, that is the most heat resistant species of the Lord Howe island/new Zealand family of palms. Of course, Zealandia includes new Caledonia, and there's a reason some of the Newcal genera have names like "kentiopsis". Growing all those lovely newcal species is probably the best way to reproduce that San Diego Zealandia look in South Florida.

[Zeeth]

Kentias need shade in our climate to grow at all. I've seen a few trunking specimens that looked alright (not as nice as those in Cali though), but as soon as they get hit with sun they croak. Their biggest problem with our climate is the high humidity. Parts of Cali may get way hotter degree-wise than we do, but it's never as humid in the summer as it is here. I think they also have a hard time with our soil also. I've got two growing in pots outside in deep shade and they do well. You can always keep them as potted specimens, and they do super well indoors also.

[Mandrew968]

The answer to this question is yes you can grow Howea in South Florida. A more detailed response includes they need shade in order to be reliable; I have seen more than enough Howea growing(and fruiting) to be confident with this statement. I have even been to a tree farm where the owner was growing them in full sun! I almost mistook them for another palm because I had never seen one(let alone a grove of them) in full sun, down here, but his response to my disbelief was that he sprays regularly with a fungicide. Even more testament is that I have a few Laccospadix that sailed through this last summer with ZERO problems--this is a palm I would like to see more of, around my neck of the woods(I have a couple for sale still).

[Ken Johnson]

And "In your case" I figured you are close to the ocean?

[jeevesjank]

And "In your case" I figured you are close to the ocean?

Ah, just got it. Yeah my climate is quite strange, I'm on the barrier island about 3-4 miles north of Ft.Pierce, directly on the wide end of the river, a little less than a mile away from the ocean. The barrier island stays significantly warmer than mainland during winter and cooler in the summer. I don't even know if I live in southern or central Florida, there doesn't seem to be any general consensus. Our city's slogan is 'The Gateway to Florida's Tropics' because the famer's almanac designated Vero as the climatic transition zone on Florida's east coast demarcating humid subtropical and tropical. The definition of tropical seems incredibly subjective.

Here's some pics I got online from different perspectives delineating northern, central and southern florida.

[Ken Johnson]

Palms can't read maps anyway!

If you keep posting here as you go along you will get all kinds of ideas from the others here. I will tell you a few secrets on PM but sooner or later you will be just like us....growing more than you need and still planting until the last day possible!

[ohad88]

Palms can't read maps anyway!

If you keep posting here as you go along you will get all kinds of ideas from the others here. I will tell you a few secrets on PM but sooner or later you will be just like us....growing more than you need and still planting until the last day possible!

Hahaha so true!

[Tyrone]

Where Howeas come from, they would get plenty of salt spray and humidity and they tend to like and or need a bit of lime in the soil to do well. But they do need a day night temp variation and seasonal cooling off in winter do well. Winter temps tend to run around 12C min to 18,19C max in the middle of winter, and 18-20Cmin to 25-28C max in summer with rainfall all year round. Lord Howe Island is a windy place as it's just a pimple out in the middle of the Pacific at 32S, hence why Howeas take coastal battering really well. I think So Florida is simply too hot a climate for too long. They'd be more happy in winter in So Florida than summer and only if irrigated in winter. Hence they seem to be a better So Cal palm. In Australia, the best Howeas are in the Sydney area on the east coast, and in the SW of WA on the west coast. Once you get out of the 30's latitude they are not as happy. They do alright in Geraldton (28S) on the west coast but by then you can grow a coconut anyway.

[steve99]

Where Howeas come from, they would get plenty of salt spray and humidity and they tend to like and or need a bit of lime in the soil to do well. But they do need a day night temp variation and seasonal cooling off in winter do well. Winter temps tend to run around 12C min to 18,19C max in the middle of winter, and 18-20Cmin to 25-28C max in summer with rainfall all year round. Lord Howe Island is a windy place as it's just a pimple out in the middle of the Pacific at 32S, hence why Howeas take coastal battering really well. I think So Florida is simply too hot a climate for too long. They'd be more happy in winter in So Florida than summer and only if irrigated in winter. Hence they seem to be a better So Cal palm. In Australia, the best Howeas are in the Sydney area on the east coast, and in the SW of WA on the west coast. Once you get out of the 30's latitude they are not as happy. They do alright in Geraldton (28S) on the west coast but by then you can grow a coconut anyway.

Thats pretty much the way I see it. Its rare to see Kentias growing in Queensland gardens. In fact, I cant recall seeing too many growing here on the Gold Coast. They simply dont like hot/humid Qld weather, that is, anything from 10S - 28S.

1000klms further South around Sydney they are a very common garden palm. Of course, Sydney's climate is very similiar to Lord Howe Island.

[Tyrone]

Where Howeas come from, they would get plenty of salt spray and humidity and they tend to like and or need a bit of lime in the soil to do well. But they do need a day night temp variation and seasonal cooling off in winter do well. Winter temps tend to run around 12C min to 18,19C max in the middle of winter, and 18-20Cmin to 25-28C max in summer with rainfall all year round. Lord Howe Island is a windy place as it's just a pimple out in the middle of the Pacific at 32S, hence why Howeas take coastal battering really well. I think So Florida is simply too hot a climate for too long. They'd be more happy in winter in So Florida than summer and only if irrigated in winter. Hence they seem to be a better So Cal palm. In Australia, the best Howeas are in the Sydney area on the east coast, and in the SW of WA on the west coast. Once you get out of the 30's latitude they are not as happy. They do alright in Geraldton (28S) on the west coast but by then you can grow a coconut anyway.

Thats pretty much the way I see it. Its rare to see Kentias growing in Queensland gardens. In fact, I cant recall seeing too many growing here on the Gold Coast. They simply dont like hot/humid Qld weather, that is, anything from 10S - 28S.

1000klms further South around Sydney they are a very common garden palm. Of course, Sydney's climate is very similiar to Lord Howe Island.

I've seen them in the Brisbane area and they look a bit thin and sickly compared to fat healthy specimens down in Sydney. In my Perth garden I had a nice fat trunked one with a base about 60cm across, but even in Perth away from the coast, they burn unless protected a bit and given a fair bit of water. The best ones I've seen in the west are actually on the south coast around Albany where I am now. There are some pristine ones down here in full sun and take the full coastal battering with ease. There are even some Howeas down here that are completely unirrigated and doing well.

[Jeff Searle]

To answer the question, yes they will grow here in south Florida. I saw two quite large ones many years ago, and both getting shade that looked pretty good and well established in the ground for many years.

[Matthew92]

We had some in large pots in front of our house back in 2009. That summer was extremely hot and sultry with many 90+ degree temps in the day, and even very warm at night. However, they did great and more than doubled in size in the pots outgrowing them quickly. Upon taking them out, I planted one in ground in the backyard. If I remember right, it actually pulled through some light freezes okay at first, but eventually temps in the mid 20's and below finished it off.

[GMann]

They sell them in South Florida as indoor plants.

Edited March 16, 2016 by GMann

[Dave-Vero]

Welcome, jeevesjank, to our non-temperate, non-tropical climate.  And lots of microclimates.  The immediate coast is quite protected from all but the worst freezes.  Satellite Beach in Brevard County is possibly the best example.  Of course the great freeze of December 1989 slaughtered even the native tropical plants, like gumbo-limbo.  

Right now, we're at something of a coconut maximum; many died in the cold of 2010-2011, but now the survivors are booming.  Riverside Cafe under the bridge in Vero has a very tall survivor, or at least did last time I looked.   There is reason to suspect that my Archontophoenix maxima looks yellowish with some dead tissue at leaflet tips due to incredibly soggy conditions in November and December.  

For canopy palms, at my inland place (2.4 mi. from the Indian River, 3.9 mi. from the ocean), Archontophoenix are mostly doing well (one failure, one looking unhappy, 4 booming), Carpentaria suffered damage in 2010-11, as did Satakentia, Dypsis plumosa, and Dypsis decaryi.  Crysophila Lytocaryum weddelianun, and assorted Chamaedorea suffered no damage and of course Acoelorraphe,  and Sabal minor remained happy.  Coccothrinax were a mixed bag.  No fatalities.  Allagopetera arenaria (from Brazil) seems an excellent and under-planted species.  

I'm working on Kentiopis oliviformis, which has become popular recently.  A young Latania is growing fast, but I have to assume it'll eventually freeze. 

Heathcote Botanical Gardens in Ft. Pierce has a small palm collection with some nice (and occasionally unusual) specimens.  I think the big old foxtails must have grandchildren growing in the area--lots of seedlings.   Also, check the pair of majesty palms in front of the Vero art museum.

I picked up a really nice scanner/photo of coralbean (Erythrina herbacea) flowers at  the art show this past weekend.  Our mostly tropical beach flora provides lots of good ornamentals.  South Beach Park has a nice sea-lavendar, Argusia gnaphalodes, for example.  The park also has one of the more northern populations of wild Cyperus pedunculatus, beach star (little rosettes at the beach end of the south boardwalk).  Not much of a plant, but it has a worldwide distribution on tropical beaches, including Hawaii and Queensland, where it stops somewhat north of Brisbane.  So by that plant's standards, we might be more tropical than Brisbane, where all sorts of palms thrive (it's a wet summer/dry winter climate, like us). 

[redbeard917]

Here's one at the Thomas Edison estate in Fort Myers.

[jaybo]

I know I am adding to an old thread, but I am curious if anyone in south Florida had a Kentia flowering or seeding?  I have both forsteriana and belmoreana in my garden for over 20 years, both have done well shaded and semi shaded, but either have ever bloomed.

[PalmatierMeg]

My surviving Howea forsteriana has 4’ of clear trunk. It managed to survive Hurricanes Irma and Ian and resultant canopy damage in our jungle. It’s been in the  ground at least 10 years and is approx. 20 years old from a strap leaf seedling. It has never flowered and I’m not holding my breath.

I have one belmoreana I got as a 1g. In late 2005. When all my queens succumbed to wilt I planted a whole leaf African oil palm to shield it from the sun. It grows glacially slowly and is only 3’ tall. Not a happy camper in SWFL but manages to survive summers under canopy. It has never flowered and certainly never will. If you plant either species outdoors figure on providing deep canopy rather than plant them out in the open.