Kentia palm outside in Scripps ranch san diego

[Rtrw]

I would like to put a double kentia palm in my yard.   I am in Scripps ranch san Diego.   We are about 12 miles inland.   I am concerned with the sun and wind.   During the summer we do get temps into the high 80's.   The area I'm considering is fairly well protected from the wind but it would receive some intense sun for part of the day during summer.   Any advice?   I read mixed reviews on their ability to tolerate the sun.   I find it hard to believe a tree that grows so tall would have issues with direct sun....but.....not sure??   I am also considering a king for the same spot.   Which is more tolerant of the direct sun?

Please help!   

[Brucer]

Kentias wont tolerate direct sun much at all when they are young. They get better when they get to 10 feet or so.

I am not sure exactly what a King palm is.

[OB Burt]

Bangalow? is that the right word. Archontophoenix

[Rtrw]

Yes the Archontophoenix cunninghamiana is the king palm I was referring to....

[Ben in Norcal]

King will be more sun tolerant by a million miles, though a maxima or an alexandre would be a better bet for sun tolerance than A. cunninghamiana.

[Pip]

Both require some kind of shade when young and both will acclimatize to full sun positions with regular irrigation through hot dry weather. I live in a similar dry summer climate where temperatures are often above 35 throughout the warm season. Cool night temperature help give some respite from the heat but can't be relied on when the heat is relentless. There are meny examples of both Howea forsteriana  and Archontophoenix cunninghamiana growing in full sun here but those are in irrigated gardens.

[BS Man about Palms]

Robert, it kinda depends on where you purchased them and their size. As noted when exceptionally small they would prefer shade, HOWEVER if you get a 10-15 gal sun grown version you are pretty much good to go! Most "shipped in" nurseries grew them in heavy shade to increase size and speed and they will burn for sure. But with some scouting around here you will easily be able to find local nursuries that will have sun grown plants that would drop right in the ground and have no setback. Jim Wright was a local legend and had one of the tallest I've ever seen and his advice to me with those early on was fairly simple, "If its warm, you almost can't overwater them, when it gets cold, stop watering".

 

 

[anaheimpalmguy]

There are quite a few examples of mature Kentias growing in full sun in my area which is inland Orange County, like Anaheim, Fullerton, and Orange.  These areas are hotter than Scripps Ranch.  I'm from San Diego, moved up here 8 years ago, and I'm always amazed at how much hotter it is here than it is in places like Scripps Ranch and other San Diego inland valleys.

[Palm Tree Jim]

11 hours ago, Ben in Norcal said:

King will be more sun tolerant by a million miles, though a maxima or an alexandre would be a better bet for sun tolerance than A. cunninghamiana.

Good Advice.....

I have several trunking kentias, some in all day sun with no issues. 

As Bill indicated, it is easy to find sun acclimated kentias.

[DoomsDave]

Robert:

I concur with everyone above and add:

The distance from the ocean per se isn't the whole equation.

If you're close to the sea, but with a range of hills between, that will reduce the "ocean influence," which moderates the climate, sometimes by quite a lot.

Also, the direction the winds blow can be important.

In my case, I'm 20 miles from the sea, but with a range of hills between. While my climate is definitely ocean influenced, it's a lot hotter in the summer than places on the other side of the hills. In South Orange County, there's a lot of hills close to the ocean which block the breeze which means that places like Mission Viejo get relatively hot, even though they're close to the sea.

In LA county, that huge LA Basin  is right in the path of the ocean breeze every evening and you'll get much cooler Howea-friendly conditions in downtown LA which is about the same distance from the ocean my home is. By the time that same breeze reaches my place, it's picked up heat and dried out.

In SD, I think you're right in the path of the breeze with no hills, or very low ones. Following Bill, Jim, and the others' advice, I think you'll have a nice planting of Howea forsterianas. (They'll even grow in the sun for me if I water them enough.)

Belmorianas are different, altogether, but that's a tale for another day.