Jensen Beach, FL (Zone 10b) | March 2013 | positive
We have had great success with this palm in the ground. Its grown at a respectable rate. We sustained negative cold damage in the winter ...Read Moreof 2009/10 and a brief cold snap in late 2010. We recommend abundant water in periods when the rain is in frequent. Also of note, it loathes salt wind.
Port Charlotte, FL (Zone 10a) | June 2011 | positive
I bought a small pot of these several years ago, They have been moved to larger pots every couple of years and are growing in partial sha...Read Morede inside my pool cage. This is one of my favorites in my collection, they are in Miracle Grow Potting soil and I give them water most every day. My cluster is almost six feet now and looks beautiful. Has been very easy to grow here, but always protected from cold.
As the previous palm enthusiast wrote below, the Areca vestiaria is best left for the tropical regions of the world. Mostly Zones 10-11....Read More
However we have been growing the vestiaria in Central Florida for 3 years now with little to no problems. We have grown them from seedlings to 3 gallons in that time span through 2 very tough winters (2008-2009; low of 28 & 2009-2010; low of 28). They were mostly grown in green houses during the winter, but a few were left out under canopy as tests subjects and most survived with medium damage. In the same green house as the vestiairia’s during the 2009-2010 severe Florida freeze (7 straight days of weather under 35) we lost multiple Pinanga, Euterpe, and Vershaffeltia species, but the vestiaria’s were mostly undamaged, with some showing a little cell breakdown in the leaves.
Not to say that growing this palm in Central Florida or Southern California is a great idea, but with certain precautions it is possible. There is a decent size specimen growing at Lue Gardens in Orlando, FL under heavy canopy. So if you have a large tree for canopy and some time to protect your vestiaria during frosts and freezes, you may be able to keep this palm alive in certain pockets of Central Florida. We can not comment on Southern Cali
Areca vestiaria is a most beautiful palm, indeed. I've had moderate success in South Florida, where it grows well during our long hot an...Read Mored humid summers. However, it is extremely cold sensitive, and I cannot imagine it doing well anywhere when there is not a lot of heat and humidity. Growth under any conditions other than tropical would yield the slowest imaginable growth, and most likely, eventual death. This palm is perfect for a tropical conservatory, and would be the delight of any greenhouse hobbyist.
One of the primary mistakes I find many enthusiasts make when considering an exotic specimen for their landscape, is that most only consider the minimum temperature a palm can supposedly withstand. Of course minimum low temperatures are a consideration, but in order to succeed, one must be able to approximate the conditions in which a certain species originates- including high temperatures, humidity, and of course, soil type, pH, etc. If you want to know whether or not a palm like Areca vestiaria will survive in your climate, simply look to the climatologial data on it's country of origin. If you live in a climate that cannot or does not offer at least similar conditions, then your chances of success, at least in the long term, are slim at best. I agree with the first review. Experimentation is great, but don't be fooled- it is a real shame to lose an expensive plant to misinformation.
Corte Madera, CA (Zone 10a) | August 2004 | neutral
THeir are multiple specimens of this palm growing in some shade in Southern California.There is an 8 foot specimen in Vista CA. They pref...Read Moreer the cool coast more than the inland temperatures where their can be an occasional frost. If you protect it from frost though, this palm is a good one to try. It is somewhat cool tolerant. Reguardless what someone else says, it can if you live along the coast in a place that has good air drainage.
This is considered one of the most beautifully colored palms in the world. Alas, it won't grow here in Southern California, though it ha...Read Mores been tried over and over. It can grow in a slightly warmer climate, and loves Hawaii. It has one of the most strikingly colored petioles and crownshafts- brilliant orange-red. And the fruits and flowers are pretty brightly colored, too. The trunk is an attractive deep green ringed stem. There are some varieties that have maroon leaves, too, though I haven't seen these with much trunk.
PS regardless of what others may claim, this palm does not grow in southern CAlifornia. But try all you want. Maybe you will be one to succeed! I am pretty familiar with who is growing what here and this palm is not on my radar at this time (2006)... but if I find one growing (surviving more than 2 winters) then I will happily report that. I would heed the warning given by jungleboy_fl below, as he is correct.
Dude.... I am in the Azores, zone 11B, but where can I buy this palm from?
We have had great success with this palm in the ground. Its grown at a respectable rate. We sustained negative cold damage in the winter ...Read More
I bought a small pot of these several years ago, They have been moved to larger pots every couple of years and are growing in partial sha...Read More
As the previous palm enthusiast wrote below, the Areca vestiaria is best left for the tropical regions of the world. Mostly Zones 10-11....Read More
Areca vestiaria is a most beautiful palm, indeed. I've had moderate success in South Florida, where it grows well during our long hot an...Read More
THeir are multiple specimens of this palm growing in some shade in Southern California.There is an 8 foot specimen in Vista CA. They pref...Read More
This is considered one of the most beautifully colored palms in the world. Alas, it won't grow here in Southern California, though it ha...Read More