Beccariophoenix Species in my Oakland Garden

[Jadd Correia]

I have finally been able to bring the three main species of Beccariophoenix together in my Oakland CA garden. 

B. Alfredii has been growing well from 1 gallon and has really picked up speed this past year (prob close to 4 ft or so of frond length. 

B. fenestralis has been slow but solid from a 1 gallon as well for the past 3 years (hard to see this palm as its protected and covered by other plants). 

B. madagascariensis has proven to be very hard for me to track down until this past week in San Clemente! I was able to get a masterfully grown 15 gallon and drove it back to Oakland in my car with palm fronds slapping my son in the face in the passenger seat!

 

B. fenestralis with nice windows! 3 years in the ground.

B. madagascariensis with Acanthophoenix rubra in the ground for 2 days lol. Looking good with the recent rains!

 

B. alfredii with beautiful purple petioles and fast growth. 

[quaman58]

Very nice! Awesome genus, although I wish someone would have told me how big they get.. So I feel it's my responsibility to advise you, ha ha. Everything looks happy as can be!

[RichardHemsley]

I have just purchased a very small Beccariophoenix madagascariensis. Think it will be quite a few years before I have to worry about it getting too big!

[Josue Diaz]

Super cool for you to assemble the avengers. I have always wanted to plant fenestralis but have been wary of it being "less hardy". Not sure how it would do with occasional frost/prolonged cool/wet. Alfredii just grows right through our winter in Fresno, seems to be the easiest to grow maybe? 

[Jadd Correia]

On 4/2/2026 at 8:34 AM, quaman58 said:

Very nice! Awesome genus, although I wish someone would have told me how big they get.. So I feel it's my responsibility to advise you, ha ha. Everything looks happy as can be!

Thanks my friend! I only have so much planting space so tight planting it shall be! 

 

[Jadd Correia]

23 hours ago, Josue Diaz said:

Super cool for you to assemble the avengers. I have always wanted to plant fenestralis but have been wary of it being "less hardy". Not sure how it would do with occasional frost/prolonged cool/wet. Alfredii just grows right through our winter in Fresno, seems to be the easiest to grow maybe? 

Hey Josue,

Regarding specifically B. fenestralis in Oakland, I have noticed that individual plants at least 1 gallon in size and up have taken the planting and first 2-3 winters with very little damage and decent growth.

The smaller 4 inch and seedlings I have planted of B. fenestralis have done best with maximum protection from sun/ wind/ access to water etc. Drainage is another important factor that should be improved upon planting and I tend to plant high (against the natural soil line) and then mulch and compost up to the plant base. 

In short, I say plant the biggest one you can find, in the best protected spot you have and it should do great!

Good luck and let me know how it goes for you.

 

Jadd

[Jadd Correia]

B fenestralis

I cleaned up the area around this palm and gave it a good watering. The windows are showing really well and only the oldest frond has any kind of burn of damage after winter. I really enjoy this palm! 

[kylecawazafla]

Good luck with the B. madagascriensis! I have never seen a healthy looking one in California before. Do you know what causes them to be so yellow in California normally? 

[Jadd Correia]

On 4/6/2026 at 7:49 PM, kylecawazafla said:

Good luck with the B. madagascriensis! I have never seen a healthy looking one in California before. Do you know what causes them to be so yellow in California normally? 

Hi Kyle,

I do not know what causes the yellowing of specifically madagascariensis, but I do know adding lots of compost and lava rock for drainage in my clay hillside soils has helped all my palms and plants put on deeper green hues/ solid growth. The areas of the side yard I have been slower to add compost and drainage rock, has slower growing plants with more tip burn/ nutritional issues etc. 

I am a believer in developing the overall soil health, and dynamism to get the best looking plants which often means lots of leaf drop and litter that other folks might find less attractive etc. 

Every year or two I will do a big order of compost and mulch to cover the front and back yard, but this year I swapped out the organic mulch for draining 3/4 lava rock. Hope it helps with opening up my clay soils, but it also looks great against the green fronds!

[kylecawazafla]

Thank you for the reply! Whatever you are doing is working. It looks amazing!