Areca triandra

[Jeff in St Pete]

I'm not a big fan of clumping palms but this one has recently caught my attention.

The gardeners trimmed the lower fronds and cleaned it up a bit and I think it looks pretty nice.

I pulled off an old leaf base today to reveal some fresh color and took a few photos.

I don't hear much about A. triandra. Is it just too common of a palm in S FL? Is anyone growing it in CA?

[ariscott]

They are quite pretty... and can actually take quite a bit of Darwin sun too, which surprise me...

Regards, Ari

[PalmsZA]

Yeah these are lovely palms. Fast and easy here but do need some extra water in winter. I have a clumper and one that has stayed single after some abuse to the suckers while planting.

Cheers

Dennis

[tjwalters]

They are nice palms - I have a small potted one that already has several suckers. So far it's the only Areca I've been able to keep alive. A. catachu and A. vestiaria have both died on me as seedlings.

[peachy]

My hatred of clumping palms is becoming legendary, however I bought several tiny triandras in pots years ago before I knew they clumped. Left in pots for about 5 years they barely grew a centimetre, but when I eventually planted the few I hadnt given away, they shot up from 20 cms to to 80cms in a few months. Cold doesnt worry them in the slightest, it can be below freezing, even a bit of frost doesnt harm them. They are water pigs and need to be kept watered all year round. Whether or not mine grow in pretty babies like yours in the photos remains to be seen.

Peachy

[palmsOrl]

My triandra originally came as a small clump from a high-end (read overpriced) nursery in Northern Virginia about 8 years ago. I decided that I wanted a single stem, so I trimmed away all stems except the main one, and it has stayed this way for a number of years. As previously reported, it survived 25 F (many nights in the 20s) unprotected this past winter. For those who think they can't grow Arecas, this would be a good species to try. Areca vestiaria always croaks on me within a year for one reason or another.

-Michael

[Really full garden]

This is one of my all time favorite palms.The nice lemon scented infloresence is an added bonus.

[Kumar]

I never knew that Areca had clumping species.

[quaman58]

Jeff,

As to the question of it growing in California, I had several very small seedlings from Floribunda that I left outside for two winters, since I didn't have a greenhouse yet. 4 out of 5 slowly died, but the remaining one had enough life to be put into my recently built greenhouse, & is now perfectly happy. I think that it may survive here outdoors when it's a bit larger size. Usually, palms that are out of the question for me are unable to make it through a single winter outdoors.

Bret

[paulgila]

some folks have spoken in hushed tones of how a.triandra will grow here in socal but i have yet to see one in the out-of-doors.

[Peter Pacific]

I have one about the same size as yours, Jeff, but it's not quite as full as yours. I'm on the Pacific in Guatemala (black sandy soil) and we've been getting a lot of rain lately. What do you use for fertilizer? My A. triandra was under the canopy of several coconut palms and a huge almond tree that we just removed so it's getting more sun than usual. It's a beautiful palm.

Peter

[BigFrond]

Mine did well/ok in a 15 gal for 2 years. It had up to 2 ft of trunk. Then I planted it in the ground (very good draining soil) and it died of slow death over the course of 2.5 years. If I did not planted it, it may survive another 4 years in the pot. It's an okay palm but most dypsis are better looking.

[Trópico]

Eric (Orlando) has a beautiful seeding one in Leu gardens. So it looks like they are a grow in C. Florida. I shall get one.

[paulgila]

Mine did well/ok in a 15 gal for 2 years. It had up to 2 ft of trunk. Then I planted it in the ground (very good draining soil) and it died of slow death over the course of 2.5 years. If I did not planted it, it may survive another 4 years in the pot. It's an okay palm but most dypsis are better looking.

it may not have the cool coloration in the petioles that some dypsis do but it has a more interesting leaf shape,to me. if i could grow this i would.

[realarch]

Nice palms, and I'm surprised you don't see too many here as general landscape plants. I've grown a few from seed, but

they are still babies. In good conditions a clump can be pretty impressive.

[basilios]

Great looking palm. I have one in pot, it's still alive but it doesn't like it a bit here...too dry indoors during winter, too windy outside during summer. So mine looks quite pathetic but Jeff's specimen is definitely a beauty.

[AggiePalms]

Mine is now a meter or so in height after transplanting to a larger pot. Very pretty with a couple of suckers, very happy with water and partial sun. Its big leaves are growing out over my walkway into my house, making me brush it every time I get home. Not a bad thing at all. Glad to hear it doesn't need to come inside with a bit of cover like mine has. A cool little palm.

[Tala]

these have proven to be surprisingly cold hardy palms when planted in a sheltered spot of course, can't handle frost exposure. I don't plant them in the ground here as I'm too high n' dry but I keep them pots and let them root into the ground. Have to do the same for Licuala and Pinanga as well. This pic is a triandra that made it thru last Winter w/ barely a mark on it - planted under an oak and in a clump of Rhapis for extra protection. The large stem flowers often but rarely makes seed. Once another stem flowers it should be able to self pollinate easily.

[Jeff in St Pete]

All, thanks for the information!

I hope to see more of these planted around here in the future. Seems like they would make a nice alternative to Dypsis lutescens which is WAY overplanted in Costa Rica.

[ariscott]

It is not as hardy or fast as the infamous golden canes, unfortunately, Jeff... and it can't take as much sun as golden canes, but definitely prettier

Regards, Ari

[Jeff in St Pete]

I have one about the same size as yours, Jeff, but it's not quite as full as yours. I'm on the Pacific in Guatemala (black sandy soil) and we've been getting a lot of rain lately. What do you use for fertilizer? My A. triandra was under the canopy of several coconut palms and a huge almond tree that we just removed so it's getting more sun than usual. It's a beautiful palm.

Peter

Peter, it's never been fertilized. It's growing on it's own in a small clearing near the beach.

[quaman58]

Thought I'd bump this topic. I referenced a surviving seedling, which I planted in ground about 4 years ago. It gets no direct sun, but plenty of bright light. It is developing a very beautiful look & is just ready to get its first ring of trunk. It has only 2 suckers, which is nice. It's about 4-1/2 feet tall, but each leaf is really stretching now. Anyone else share their experiences?