Hey all

I purchased the pictured “Alexander” palm which was on sale at a local nursery. I was under the impression I was purchasing an archontophoenix Alexandrae.. Being new to palms and researching online I learned the Alexander name is interchangeably used with Ptychosperma elegans. With that being said I am curious if anyone can identify the picture to which species this one is. Additionally I am in 9b not far from 10a line I assume this will need some good protection in the winter,. Thanks 

Definitely Archontophoenix alexandrae. 

Archontophoenix Alexandrae. In 5-7 years it will be a beast.

Beautiful palm for those who can grow it. In south florida they get massive, sometimes comparably big to royals if they’re old enough. Your palm will look amazing in a few years time, assuming you successfully protect it. 
 

What made you pick this palm though? You might want to look into hardier options if you want to buy other palms to save you from hardships down the road. Just a suggestion, i’m sure you’ll find other nice ones too.

Beautiful tree. In my cool 9b Mediterranean climate they suffer when the temperature goes close to 32F and they are definitely zone 10. I have one in a pot but never in my wildest dreams would I think of putting it in the ground. I guess in Florida they will be a bit more forgiving. Best of luck. 

13 hours ago, TropicsEnjoyer said:

Beautiful palm for those who can grow it. In south florida they get massive, sometimes comparably big to royals if they’re old enough. Your palm will look amazing in a few years time, assuming you successfully protect it. 
 

What made you pick this palm though? You might want to look into hardier options if you want to buy other palms to save you from hardships down the road. Just a suggestion, i’m sure you’ll find other nice ones too.

I decided to give one a try after seeing several successful in Daytona area, it also was on sale for a good price. I have many other cold hardy palms in my landscape and wanted to try something a little different, I’m sure I’ll have some hardships but mostly just for fun. Hoping to have a better chance than some of the Christmas palms I see around

48 minutes ago, Golden10 said:

I decided to give one a try after seeing several successful in Daytona area, it also was on sale for a good price. I have many other cold hardy palms in my landscape and wanted to try something a little different, I’m sure I’ll have some hardships but mostly just for fun. Hoping to have a better chance than some of the Christmas palms I see around

Oh ok you have some experience then. Always fun to experiment a bit. I always feel bad for the people who buy christmas palms and foxtails in 9b jax. Probably expect a pretty palm but don’t realize it’ll be fried after 1-3 winters. But the nurseries keep selling them 🙄

Is a Royal or a Cunningham more cold-hardy?

16 minutes ago, SeanK said:

Is a Royal or a Cunningham more cold-hardy?

Cunninghamiana is supposedly a tad hardier; I recommend this website by @pietropuccio cos he is never too optimistic. 

Nurseries here for some reason always sell Alexandrae, which don't take frost. Cunninghamianas are hard to encounter. I managed to get 2 through a friend two months ago, and I'll see how they will fare in the winter.

nice palm and seems to do well in 9b florida....however, Daytona is a bit more of a stretch at the northern end of 9b....mainly, protect from frost. they do grow well otherwise.

5 hours ago, Golden10 said:

I decided to give one a try after seeing several successful in Daytona area, it also was on sale for a good price. I have many other cold hardy palms in my landscape and wanted to try something a little different, I’m sure I’ll have some hardships but mostly just for fun. Hoping to have a better chance than some of the Christmas palms I see around

I’m just 30 miles SW of you in DeBary and have one. It was maybe 3ft tall under canopy and probably saw 28f in 2022 without damage, but had a fungus coming into spring it took a while to snap out of. Growing well now about 6-7ft. In contrast I have two Cunninghamiana, one about about 25ft tall in the open, that had very minimal damage that winter. I think Cunninghamiana is the safer bet, but depending on where you are in Daytona, Alexandrae should do fine

6 hours ago, SeanK said:

Is a Royal or a Cunningham more cold-hardy?

In Florida I’d say Roystonea is. In Jacksonville I believe there are posts of mature Royals surviving 20-21 degrees f. I would say 23-24 might be the lower limit of A.Cunninghamiana. In California I’d say Archontophoenix takes our winters better than Roystonea especially inland where cold nights lead into cold days. In FL it gets colder than CA at night but 2 days later can be sunny and over 80.

Wish they were more common and readily available here. Anyone know of a source for just a couple in Oviedo or surrounding area? 

On 8/4/2025 at 5:46 PM, James B said:

In Florida I’d say Roystonea is. In Jacksonville I believe there are posts of mature Royals surviving 20-21 degrees f. I would say 23-24 might be the lower limit of A.Cunninghamiana. In California I’d say Archontophoenix takes our winters better than Roystonea especially inland where cold nights lead into cold days. In FL it gets colder than CA at night but 2 days later can be sunny and over 80.

We about to find out...going to Guinea pig these young Kings😆

6 hours ago, Bkue said:

Wish they were more common and readily available here. Anyone know of a source for just a couple in Oviedo or surrounding area? 

Lukas Nursery in Oviedo gets them from time to time but $$$

 

Lindleys Garden center in New Smyrna gets Cunninghamiana and Alexandrae in 3g from MB Palms.

 

Tommy Ganz Landscaping/Nursery in Port Orange gets them with several feet of trunk for a good price, and is now open to the public.

 

I could part with a Maxima and Tuckeri or two.

I have only seen frost on the street side of my property for brief periods of time . I planted a small one about 27 years ago and it is huge now. A much larger palm than A. Cunninghamiana. It takes full sun at a very early stage and grows faster than a regular King . I think they would be fine in a 9b climate zone . Harry

‘The telling feature , other than the darker green leaves with silver undersides , the bottle shape base of the Alexandrea . This was right after a rain a couple years ago , which really shows the stepped rings that these have . The Cunninghamiana are smaller trunks with smooth rings. Also note , there is no way of knowing if some of these were hybrids. This was picked out of a bunch of “ King “ palms at a big box store. The other two I bought from the same batch turned out to be Cunninghamiana. Harry

I have a 15 year old triple that is about 30' tall in a warm spot with some oak canopy nearby.  This is not a 9B palm IMO.  Mine get completely defoliated every time it hits 30 degrees.  If you got hat low frequently it may survive but will always be "recovering".  Frost also will take them down fast, though min will never see frost at 30 feet.  I would call it a cool 10a palm, good down to 30 for survival, but will partly or completely defoliate.  They do recover quickly maybe a year to grow a new crown after cold damage.  (b goes down to 26F, that would kill them for sure long term.

On 8/6/2025 at 1:02 AM, Bkue said:

Wish they were more common and readily available here. Anyone know of a source for just a couple in Oviedo or surrounding area? 

@Bkue @Golden10 I grow them and have many seedlings for sale here in Longwood FL, z9b. Available for pickup. Cunninghamiana, tuckeri, maxima, and alexandrae. Send me a DM for anyone interested. 

23 hours ago, sonoranfans said:

I have a 15 year old triple that is about 30' tall in a warm spot with some oak canopy nearby.  This is not a 9B palm IMO.  Mine get completely defoliated every time it hits 30 degrees.  If you got hat low frequently it may survive but will always be "recovering".  Frost also will take them down fast, though min will never see frost at 30 feet.  I would call it a cool 10a palm, good down to 30 for survival, but will partly or completely defoliate.  They do recover quickly maybe a year to grow a new crown after cold damage.  (b goes down to 26F, that would kill them for sure long term.

I should clarify that 9b in Southern California is a bit different than other areas. Our cold is very fleeting and of no concern most of the time. I am technically 9b but up on a south facing hill with great cold air drainage so my garden never sees frost . Roystonia Oleracae is doing very well , planted not far from the Alexandrea. I am pretty sure my micro climate is at least a 10a . Harry

On 8/6/2025 at 9:49 AM, Rubberboots said:

We about to find out...going to Guinea pig these young Kings😆

I am in a Californian climate, zone 9b and Alexandra is a no-go palm; It survives on the coast, where temperatures never fall to 0 C though,

On 8/6/2025 at 4:29 PM, Harry’s Palms said:

I have only seen frost on the street side of my property for brief periods of time . I planted a small one about 27 years ago and it is huge now. A much larger palm than A. Cunninghamiana. It takes full sun at a very early stage and grows faster than a regular King . I think they would be fine in a 9b climate zone . Harry

‘The telling feature , other than the darker green leaves with silver undersides , the bottle shape base of the Alexandrea . This was right after a rain a couple years ago , which really shows the stepped rings that these have . The Cunninghamiana are smaller trunks with smooth rings. Also note , there is no way of knowing if some of these were hybrids. This was picked out of a bunch of “ King “ palms at a big box store. The other two I bought from the same batch turned out to be Cunninghamiana. Harry

I need this red bark in my life!! Dang, so unfair it is not sold in my country

59 minutes ago, Harry’s Palms said:

I should clarify that 9b in Southern California is a bit different than other areas. Our cold is very fleeting and of no concern most of the time. I am technically 9b but up on a south facing hill with great cold air drainage so my garden never sees frost . Roystonia Oleracae is doing very well , planted not far from the Alexandrea. I am pretty sure my micro climate is at least a 10a . Harry

Yes all palms do better in a mediterranean climate 9b than in humid subtropical.  Our cold lasts much longer, especially in an advective event.  We had 30 degrees for 7-8 hours advective about 7-8 years ago and my alexes were defoliated completely except the spear.    WHen I first palnted them, they saw frost and it was as low as 28F out in the open in my yard but they were mostly under frostcloth.  It was a radiative event so big advantage covering them, it was probably 4-5 degrees warmer under the frost cloth.  15 gallon size Royals died in the open but the archies were untouched under the frost cloth.  About 1' of 2 leaves  stuck out and was turned into a crispy burn over night, fried but only the part outside the frost cloth cover.  Since mine is a triple they also trap down warm air for each other and there are several nearby chambeyrona oliviformis as well as a A. maxima and and A. myolensis that all keep each other a bit warm during radiative events.   All survived the long advective event at 30F but all the archies were mostly burned.  The C. Oliviformis is more leaf hardy and had minimal damage at 30F for 7-8 hrs.  C. Oliviformis and a teddy bear(chrysalidocarpus leptocheilos) also survived 28F plus frost out in the open as a small 5 gallon sized seedling, defoiliated but spear completely intact.  I would call these two palms as medium to warm 9B.  If the OP is looking for archies in a 9B area check out those two palms, both are gorgeous palms.

2 hours ago, Than said:

I need this red bark in my life!! Dang, so unfair it is not sold in my country

@Harry’s Palms have you seen Phil's best King palm ever I think he calls it?

@Rubberboots I have not . It has been many years since I was there. There were a couple of beauties at Lotus Land near the building and courtyard. They had the same “bottle shaped” trunk as mine. 
 These recent posts are saying a no go for 9b , I always thought they were more hardy than the Cunninghamiana ….learn sumpthin new every day!🤔 Probably wouldn’t stop me from trying though . Harry

My triple is a real neck bender just to see the top but it is planted among 7 other crown shafted palms that all trap down heat in an advective event.  There are also oaks beyond them to break wind and trap heat some.  This is my warm spot, south of the house(protects some from northern cold) and within 20' of it.  Once they get tall they will take a 28 F degree radiational event as it will be warmer way up there.  If you want to zone push I would use windbreak along with planting in groups.  I have a 25' myolensis and maxima nearby, along with (3) C. oliviformis to help keep them warm.  Here is a pic of the triple using a 24mm wide angle lens held vertically to get them in.  The second pic is a closeup of the crown shafts showing inflorescences.  11 months after losing all leaves to Milton they are rapidly replacing their crowns.