Growing tall Areca Palms in pots?

[FloridaKeysGrower]

I want tall arecas with thick bamboo looking stalks. Am I on the right track here? I inherited these older Areca palms (7 years?) but they were neglected and extremely root bound. I started fertilizing them and got some green shoots. I repotted them, and cut 1/3 of it’s roots off and repotted in slightly larger container. I’ve started removing the smaller shoots. The idea is to help the palm focus on its larger shoots so that it can grow taller. I’m trying to form a canopy with these. Any other tips to grow tall areca palms in pots? I can’t seem to find any nice examples online. Definitely willing to increase pot size when the time comes, but is it a losing battle?

[happypalms]

  On 8/20/2024 at 12:47 PM, FloridaKeysGrower said:

I want tall arecas with thick bamboo looking stalks. Am I on the right track here? I inherited these older Areca palms (7 years?) but they were neglected and extremely root bound. I started fertilizing them and got some green shoots. I repotted them, and cut 1/3 of it’s roots off and repotted in slightly larger container. I’ve started removing the smaller shoots. The idea is to help the palm focus on its larger shoots so that it can grow taller. I’m trying to form a canopy with these. Any other tips to grow tall areca palms in pots? I can’t seem to find any nice examples online. Definitely willing to increase pot size when the time comes, but is it a losing battle?

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Your giving them the right treatment there quite tough in time they will respond well to the otherwise brutal treatment some palms you can do that with but I would not try that with a Johannesteijsmannia that’s for sure.

[Harry’s Palms]

If your climate allows , put them in the ground and they will get very tall with the trunks you are looking for. HarryThis one is 15’ plus! It’s been in the ground about 20 years since a 10” pot size.

[FloridaKeysGrower]

Thank you for the replies. I don’t have any ground, and I don’t have any space for sprawling plants, so really need it to grow tall and form a canopy! 10ft would be good.. just not sure if I can accommodate a much wider pot. I guess I’ll go deeper on the next repot. And maybe keep eliminating shoots until maybe 3 or 4 shoots. This will be an interesting experience. Any more advice is highly appreciated! 

[Bkue]

I bought 300 3gals a few years ago. Most went into the ground around the perimeter. Better sun and better water has a noticeable impact. I have some with 8ft stalks and 15+ feet overall. Some are 4ft and 10ft shaded. 
 

I did have a few extra I threw in pots. Granted I neglect to some degree but they are equivalent to a 5 or 7 gal size now. Not much stalk to speak of. Living yes, but thriving no. You are in for the long haul in pots. 

[Mom]

How can I keep my Areca from sprouting new sprouts

[realarch]

The correct name of your palm is Chrysalidocarpus lutescens. It has been inadvertently called an “Areca’ palm just about forever. 

These are tough mothers, and like Richard said above, can be brutalized, pruned, trimmed, and still survive.

If you plant them out, give them some care and prune regularly or you’ll end up with huge messy clumps. 

Tim