I have one sargentii in a container and I just can’t get it to grow. What is it Iam doing wrong. To much water not enough light do they like to be on the dry side. Leaf condition is fine, what’s the trick please!

More heat and sun for better growth (Considering this palm is very slow growing)

For watering not dry and not too wet

I would love to have one and try my chance but can't get any (sargentii or ekmanii)

Looking at habitat is always a good start. They occur on dune sand or limestone. I’d say a good starting point would be a very well drained mix with pH above neutral. Maybe add some dolomite lime? Full sun also seems to be the way to go for these based on what I’ve seen, but I’ve never tried growing one myself.

2 hours ago, Husain said:

More heat and sun for better growth (Considering this palm is very slow growing)

For watering not dry and not too wet

I would love to have one and try my chance but can't get any (sargentii or ekmanii)

That I can provide, I shall move it to a sunny place. Thanks. I just some seeds from rps and got 4 to germinate out of ten seeds. And that was after a six week delay in customs. So rps come good on this batch.

46 minutes ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

Looking at habitat is always a good start. They occur on dune sand or limestone. I’d say a good starting point would be a very well drained mix with pH above neutral. Maybe add some dolomite lime? Full sun also seems to be the way to go for these based on what I’ve seen, but I’ve never tried growing one myself.

Well I got plenty sand and a pinch of dolomite it shall be from the doctors orders. Thanks Tim.

Echoing comments above...HEAT! This wants hot days and very warm nights (80s F). Since tissue production occurs at night, a location with cool nights is going to severely impact the speed of growth on this heat-tuned species. This is why it's not a common palm in the cool coastal climate of California, since it just frustrates so many growers there. It survives but just is glacially slow. Here in the low desert of the Palm Springs area, it pushes at a quite decent clip, as it did for me when I lived in its native Florida Keys. And since I think you get a good amount of precipitation, I'd recommend a dryish, gritty growing medium (coarse sand, lava rock or crushed limestone, something similar, and just a little bit of open-textured organics like coco-coir chunks). Also I'd recommend getting it out of the container and into an open growing medium in the ground. If you're keeping it in a container, maybe get a black net-pot and fill it with black lava-rock (for maximum oxygen at the roots, and quick water-dissipation) in a full-sun situation. In its native habitat in the Florida Keys, it grows on solid limestone with a thin layer of humic material and has evolved to tolerate months of dryness every year. They don't like a wet, hypoxic root-zone and appreciate perfect drainage and abundant oxygen around the roots. But I don't think this species actually requires a high-pH medium, it's adaptable in that way, but you might want to plant it on a slight raised mound/berm for great drainage if you're in a wetter, more humus-rich environment, and definitely I'd recommend giving it a hot western exposure and equator-facing against a hot wall in your cooler zone, maybe with black lava rock or similar over the root-zone for nighttime heat retention, or some other hack to make it think it's in a hotter climate than you have there.

One thing I love about this palm is that, even at a small size, once the palm has three leaves or so, it has its uniquely open, sculptural quality and unusual color, which is eye-catching. My own tactic with slow palms like this is to pick those that have ornamental qualities while small, planting them in groups or even randomly through an area, and enjoy them for what they are in concert with their surroundings. If they grow large and flourish, so much the better, but if they stay slow, as long as they maintain a good appearance, I don't sweat it. With other palms, like many Syagrus species, the multi-year waiting period in the often lackluster juvenile period can be agonizing in anticipation of that first pinnate leaf that signals an imminent growth-spurt into the "beauty phase." If you just really have to have the mass of a larger palm quickly, I'd recommend you use something like the somewhat similar and much faster growing Hyophorbe verschaffeltii in its place. Or if you have access, grow some of the 'Navassana' form of the palm, which is known to grow vertically more quickly, due I think primarily to wide internodal spacing on the trunk. Otherwise, maybe put the Pseudophoenix sargentii amidst a fast-growing backdrop of bananas, gingers, heliconias, etc. and later on you can cut those back somewhat once the palm has some size to it.

HEAT and TIME! I've grown and sold several batches of Pseudophoenix sargentii over the years. They are not particular about soil, as long as it is fast draining. I use a mineral based medium with plenty of sand, light weight lava rocks, and some of my native alkaline soil. These in 5 gallon pots (below) are already going on seven years old from seed, grown entirely under my Arizona desert conditions. I am currently starting my last ever batch of these from seed right now...😄

If you'd like a real challenge, try growing Pseudophoenix ekmanii... I collected the seeds for these myself from habitat in 2020. Sold several over the years, but my last 3 are STILL just seedlings in 1 gallon pots. Talk about slow... To be fair, I know that P ekmanii does not like my climatic conditions, but is still super slow for anybody that dares to give them a try.🌴

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona

I agree with the thoughts above. For me, these do better on their own. I can get them to germinate but they usually struggle after that. I think I over water them and/or plant them in too rich of a soil. These volunteers are in a calcareous high pH sand and shell mix with little to no soil like quality. The area is quite dry and in full sun. No matter what, PS are very slow for the first probably 10 years. After that, they are still slow but can pick up somewhat. I don’t recall when these popped up but it was probably 2-3 years ago. They are about 6” tall now.

That 'soil' mix looks PERFECT for growing Pseudophoenix! 😎👍

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona

50 minutes ago, Johnny Palmseed said:

I agree with the thoughts above. For me, these do better on their own. I can get them to germinate but they usually struggle after that. I think I over water them and/or plant them in too rich of a soil. These volunteers are in a calcareous high pH sand and shell mix with little to no soil like quality. The area is quite dry and in full sun. No matter what, PS are very slow for the first probably 10 years. After that, they are still slow but can pick up somewhat. I don’t recall when these popped up but it was probably 2-3 years ago. They are about 6” tall now.

Full, all day sun. Heat, and fast draining high pH soil. A fair amount of water actually, but only when it’s hot, and in fast draining soil.

Here in South Florida, they grow well in the hot-wet season, and slow way down in the warm-dry season.

It's flowering time again for Arizona sargentii's.They seem to put a lot of energy into reproduction, as those flower stalks literally push out inches per day once they get going. Pretty chartreuse yellow green colored flowers always attract lots of bees, then give way to tons of bright red cherry like fruits if pollination is successful - hence the common name 'cherry palm'.

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona

1 hour ago, aztropic said:

It's flowering time again for Arizona sargentii's.They seem to put a lot of energy into reproduction, as those flower stalks literally push out inches per day once they get going. Pretty chartreuse yellow green colored flowers always attract lots of bees, then give way to tons of bright red cherry like fruits if pollination is successful - hence the common name 'cherry palm'.

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona

It’s crazy. They grow those nubbins out, and then…. Bam! They explode open and the flowers grow super fast. Whatever sweet nectar they produce, it must be great. First tons of honey bees come, then tons of other little bees and fly-like things and ants for a long time.

9 hours ago, Johnny Palmseed said:

I agree with the thoughts above. For me, these do better on their own. I can get them to germinate but they usually struggle after that. I think I over water them and/or plant them in too rich of a soil. These volunteers are in a calcareous high pH sand and shell mix with little to no soil like quality. The area is quite dry and in full sun. No matter what, PS are very slow for the first probably 10 years. After that, they are still slow but can pick up somewhat. I don’t recall when these popped up but it was probably 2-3 years ago. They are about 6” tall now.

Looks like soil they would like. Bet they would like a lot of water and fertilizer during the hot months in that calcareous mix. Mine actually need a lot of potassium and boron, in addition to enjoying regular high end palm fertilizer, and my soil is much better than this, but still very sandy. Mine are on the very edge of the irrigation zones, and get hit 3x per week, but it’s a little light. I’ll soak them with a hose once a week when it gets dry. They can survive terrible dryness and bad soil, but still enjoy some TLC to speed them up.

There are different varieties of these circulating around here. There is a fat-leaflet one, and a clearly different whispy thin leaflet one, in addition to the various subspecies from around the Carribean. These traits were evident when young.

The fat leaflet kind grows faster and more robust for me.

The thin leaflet kind seems a little slower.

PS ssp saonae is the slowest for me…. It was supposed to be a faster growing ssp. It was planted at the same time but much older, now blown away by its younger partners who have quickly surpassed it.

PS….. it’s 83 F (28.3 Celsius) out right now at midnight.

15 hours ago, mnorell said:

Echoing comments above...HEAT! This wants hot days and very warm nights (80s F). Since tissue production occurs at night, a location with cool nights is going to severely impact the speed of growth on this heat-tuned species. This is why it's not a common palm in the cool coastal climate of California, since it just frustrates so many growers there. It survives but just is glacially slow. Here in the low desert of the Palm Springs area, it pushes at a quite decent clip, as it did for me when I lived in its native Florida Keys. And since I think you get a good amount of precipitation, I'd recommend a dryish, gritty growing medium (coarse sand, lava rock or crushed limestone, something similar, and just a little bit of open-textured organics like coco-coir chunks). Also I'd recommend getting it out of the container and into an open growing medium in the ground. If you're keeping it in a container, maybe get a black net-pot and fill it with black lava-rock (for maximum oxygen at the roots, and quick water-dissipation) in a full-sun situation. In its native habitat in the Florida Keys, it grows on solid limestone with a thin layer of humic material and has evolved to tolerate months of dryness every year. They don't like a wet, hypoxic root-zone and appreciate perfect drainage and abundant oxygen around the roots. But I don't think this species actually requires a high-pH medium, it's adaptable in that way, but you might want to plant it on a slight raised mound/berm for great drainage if you're in a wetter, more humus-rich environment, and definitely I'd recommend giving it a hot western exposure and equator-facing against a hot wall in your cooler zone, maybe with black lava rock or similar over the root-zone for nighttime heat retention, or some other hack to make it think it's in a hotter climate than you have there.

One thing I love about this palm is that, even at a small size, once the palm has three leaves or so, it has its uniquely open, sculptural quality and unusual color, which is eye-catching. My own tactic with slow palms like this is to pick those that have ornamental qualities while small, planting them in groups or even randomly through an area, and enjoy them for what they are in concert with their surroundings. If they grow large and flourish, so much the better, but if they stay slow, as long as they maintain a good appearance, I don't sweat it. With other palms, like many Syagrus species, the multi-year waiting period in the often lackluster juvenile period can be agonizing in anticipation of that first pinnate leaf that signals an imminent growth-spurt into the "beauty phase." If you just really have to have the mass of a larger palm quickly, I'd recommend you use something like the somewhat similar and much faster growing Hyophorbe verschaffeltii in its place. Or if you have access, grow some of the 'Navassana' form of the palm, which is known to grow vertically more quickly, due I think primarily to wide internodal spacing on the trunk. Otherwise, maybe put the Pseudophoenix sargentii amidst a fast-growing backdrop of bananas, gingers, heliconias, etc. and later on you can cut those back somewhat once the palm has some size to it.

Thank you, the recipe you have provided sounds like the key to success with this palm. Very detailed description of what I should be doing with this palm. And the varietie I have is navassana, so that one problem solved. Thanks again.

14 hours ago, aztropic said:

HEAT and TIME! I've grown and sold several batches of Pseudophoenix sargentii over the years. They are not particular about soil, as long as it is fast draining. I use a mineral based medium with plenty of sand, light weight lava rocks, and some of my native alkaline soil. These in 5 gallon pots (below) are already going on seven years old from seed, grown entirely under my Arizona desert conditions. I am currently starting my last ever batch of these from seed right now...😄

If you'd like a real challenge, try growing Pseudophoenix ekmanii... I collected the seeds for these myself from habitat in 2020. Sold several over the years, but my last 3 are STILL just seedlings in 1 gallon pots. Talk about slow... To be fair, I know that P ekmanii does not like my climatic conditions, but is still super slow for anybody that dares to give them a try.🌴

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona

Wow now that’s cracking the combination to growing them, you definitely have it worked out, the heat is not a problem in summer for me. The winter may be a different story for me. Top picture in habitat thanks!

5 hours ago, aztropic said:

It's flowering time again for Arizona sargentii's.They seem to put a lot of energy into reproduction, as those flower stalks literally push out inches per day once they get going. Pretty chartreuse yellow green colored flowers always attract lots of bees, then give way to tons of bright red cherry like fruits if pollination is successful - hence the common name 'cherry palm'.

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona

Beautiful picture, and with some luck you may have some seeds. Definitely the climate for growing in your area!

2 hours ago, Looking Glass said:

There are different varieties of these circulating around here. There is a fat-leaflet one, and a clearly different whispy thin leaflet one, in addition to the various subspecies from around the Carribean. These traits were evident when young.

The fat leaflet kind grows faster and more robust for me.

The thin leaflet kind seems a little slower.

PS ssp saonae is the slowest for me…. It was supposed to be a faster growing ssp. It was planted at the same time but much older, now blown away by its younger partners who have quickly surpassed it.

PS….. it’s 83 F (28.3 Celsius) out right now at midnight.

That’s warm for midnight, no wonder your palms look so good. Beautiful pictures thanks!

12 hours ago, Johnny Palmseed said:

I agree with the thoughts above. For me, these do better on their own. I can get them to germinate but they usually struggle after that. I think I over water them and/or plant them in too rich of a soil. These volunteers are in a calcareous high pH sand and shell mix with little to no soil like quality. The area is quite dry and in full sun. No matter what, PS are very slow for the first probably 10 years. After that, they are still slow but can pick up somewhat. I don’t recall when these popped up but it was probably 2-3 years ago. They are about 6” tall now.

Would you say a dry arid conditions with as much sun as possible for growing this palm. I can provide that but i havent been game enough to plant pslms in that area of my property. Good drainage is not a problem in my garden, or would a spot with some microclimate be best suited. Thanks

2 hours ago, happypalms said:

Would you say a dry arid conditions with as much sun as possible for growing this palm. I can provide that but i havent been game enough to plant pslms in that area of my property. Good drainage is not a problem in my garden, or would a spot with some microclimate be best suited. Thanks

It gets some water from neighbors sprinklers but it is definitely more on the dry side. I never give supplemental water and it’s on a slope so most would run off anyway. Full sun from very young. I did nothing to protect it last winter. It sustained severe freeze damage on all fronds except the spear and is now growing again. Producing inflorescences as well.

5 hours ago, Looking Glass said:

It’s crazy. They grow those nubbins out, and then…. Bam! They explode open and the flowers grow super fast. Whatever sweet nectar they produce, it must be great. First tons of honey bees come, then tons of other little bees and fly-like things and ants for a long time.

Looks like soil they would like. Bet they would like a lot of water and fertilizer during the hot months in that calcareous mix. Mine actually need a lot of potassium and boron, in addition to enjoying regular high end palm fertilizer, and my soil is much better than this, but still very sandy. Mine are on the very edge of the irrigation zones, and get hit 3x per week, but it’s a little light. I’ll soak them with a hose once a week when it gets dry. They can survive terrible dryness and bad soil, but still enjoy some TLC to speed them up.

The bees definitely love them here too. I’m always amazed at the numbers I get.

I do give it some 0-0-20 and a light dose of Florikan once it starts raining reliably. Which I am still waiting for…

On 6/10/2026 at 2:17 AM, tim_brissy_13 said:

Looking at habitat is always a good start. They occur on dune sand or limestone. I’d say a good starting point would be a very well drained mix with pH above neutral. Maybe add some dolomite lime? Full sun also seems to be the way to go for these based on what I’ve seen, but I’ve never tried growing one myself.

this is what I have seen. My sister had 2 installed 12 years ago that were just starting to trunk at the shore here in FL. They planted one in sand near the road edge in what looked like mostly beach sand(the lot was 200' to the gulf water) and one in the garden with rich amended soil. The one in the garden died within 2 years., the one on the road edge has survived 100mph plus winds and 5' of salt water in hurricane MIlton and a couple feet of water in hurricane IAN three years before. It did a lot better than her house which had to be removed after MIlton. I saw it earlier this spring, Its a navissana sargentii and it has 5' trunk ~12 years after install. It has had no irrigation since Milton hit in Oct 2024, just whatever rain fell. Almost all of her garden was killed by the water or lack of irrigation. It was fruiting so I grabbed a few seeds. Read palmpedia, they report palms hate slow drainage and rich soil, seems to be what I saw. I find palms in pots are harder to keep happy in general, they tend to cook in sun and naturally dont drain as well due to the small holes in the bottom compared with open soil. My little sargentii's are in 30% perlite combined with a potting mix, I will be monitoring the soil through he bottom holes.. They are slow, very slow. In a dry climate I would probably try to look at the dry cycle closely in those pots and half day sun. In humid climates they take sun pretty well. But in a dry/hot season leaf transpiration losses will be greater for sure. @AZtropic grows these in arizona desert just about as well as any I've seen in Florida. Watering in a dry climate might be a bit tricky without monitoring the soil moisture. They also like alkaline soils according to palmpedia. I bought some dolomite aquarium gravel for my little ones.