What's the deal with my new Areca vestiaria?

[Missi]

Hi guys. I apologize for all the pics but I want to show all the areas of concern. I am somewhat new to palms & certainly new to palm ailments so I am here to seek professional advice  I received this A. vestiaria in the mail today, purchased from a tropical plant online store. While it is a beautiful plant, I have some concerns. Some of the leaves are wrinkly like it may have or have had a fungus or bacterial issue. Also, there are some white patches that concern me. I gently tugged on the spears & they didn't budge, so that's good at least. Fyi, it was mailed fairly bareroot & I potted it up before I took the pics. I'm not sure whether I should contact the seller about this or if it was a past issue & the plant is now healthy, so just let it go. Please have a look at the photos & advise. Thank you in advance! 

More pictures in the comments....

 

[Missi]

[Missi]

[Matt in OC]

Since those are older leafs, I'd actually say it looks pretty darn healthy. Gorgeous!

[akamu]

I agree looks like older stress the new growth looks fine just let it get established in the pot for awhile then give it some good slow release palm  fertilizer mine did not looks so great at first either but now 3 yrs later in the ground it looks great . 1 of my faves

[Missi]

Excellent, thanks guys  Should I be concerned about the white patches on some leaves? Thinking that I should cut those leaves off & apply some hydrogen peroxide maybe.

[willo68]

Missy, I think it looks terrible, awful, its a goner. Let me know and ill drive down from Orlando and take it off your hands.

What a beautiful palm, congrats

[Ken Johnson]

That palm may have some insect issues. Insecticidal soap is easy and safe. Repeat dose. Liquid fertilizers will give the palm a boost until its roots adjust then some time release and stand back. BTW, If this palm gets cold it dies easily.

[Missi]

Willo, you freaked me out at first! My heart sank for a moment lol

I had been waiting almost a month & a half for this since I sent in my payment. The plants at the nursery got damaged by a large tree limb that fell on them. Then the seller was waiting for her sister, who does the growing, to send her more. Not sure if this is one the limb fell on or the later.

Mr. Ken, I under the idea that A. vestiaria could take a bit of cold. Evidently not if you say so. Just like everything else, I will do some more studying up on it!

[LilikoiLee]

That crinkled leaf could also be a boron deficiency.  We get that on our property which seems to lack enough boron in the soil.  Since this is in a pot, the cure could be getting it in the ground where your natural boron levels would straighten things out.  Boron is tricky because  palms need just the right dose.  Too much boron can also be deadly for the palm.  Do some research for your area and maybe the area the palm originally came from.

Internet recommended rates for soluble Boron products such as 20 Mule Team® products: Borax or Solubor include a soil drench but for a small palm like yours it calls for  treatment with foliar sprays at a rate of four to eight oz per 100 gallons of water.   Foliar sprays can be repeated on a monthly basis until a response is observed.   I would recommend going light.  It takes about 4 - 6 months to see the effect on new fronds.  At about that time the fronds will begin appearing normal without the crinkled leaf.

You might do an internet search for  the plant doctor Scot Nelson, a University of Hawaii  Plant Pathologist who specializes in palm diseases, bugs and nutritional issues.

Lee

[Dr. George]

Aloha Missi - The crinkled, deformed leaves of emerging new stems is very common with A. vestiaria, especially the maroon leaf form. The leaves and spears on the more mature stems look fine.

We also have boron deficiency in spots on our farm and have to treat palms in those area annually.  Lee is absolutely right that boron deficiency will show up as stunted fronds with crinkled leaflets, but you will see it manifest in the emerging spears of your mature stems. That doesn't look like the case here, so I would be careful about adding boron to these pots - there is a fine line between helpful and toxic levels of boron.

Also, in my experience, the maroon leaf form has been more thickly clumping and slower growing than the orange crown shaft/green leaf form. Below pics are typical of our A. vestiaria forms planted at the same time from the same size pots.

Happy Growing! - gmp

 

A. vestiaria, red crown shaft, maroon leaf form                    

 

A. vestiaria, orange crown shaft, green leaf form

[DoomsDave]

Missi!

We will love all the pictures you'll send.

Looks like your palm has some issues it can grow through.

Ma'am I've had many a palm do that, and recover.

those that don't, well, replace.

 

Keep us apprized

[Josh-O]

looks healthy to me

[Missi]

Wow, this is a fabulous place. I very much appreciate everyone's kind input! I'm so glad I posted here! I will post updated photos.

should I keep this plant lightly sheltered from the sun & for what length of time or height?

[Dr. George]

Wow, this is a fabulous place. I very much appreciate everyone's kind input! I'm so glad I posted here! I will post updated photos.

should I keep this plant lightly sheltered from the sun & for what length of time or height?

Not knowing any better we planted out in full Kona sun, 9 A. vestiaria of various forms, well established in 3 gal size pots, and they have all done well. It is clear, however, that they prefer, do better and look much better when grown in some shade. I will differ to the Florida folks on how they do in your part of the country.

gmp

[Missi]

I've got her in a very bright corner of my roofed lanai for now.

[Sunnie]

My Areca does the crinkle leaf thing sometimes too!  I think your palm looks great.

[PalmatierMeg]

Missi, I would never put an A.v. in full FL sun even in winter. Shade or shadecloth only. I think I still have 1 or 2 of mine left but have gone through red, orange and yellow varieties over the years. Recently I read vestiaria are not the best Arecas for FL - maybe that's why most of mine lingered, declined, finally croaked (rats). If/when these last ones keel over, no more A.v. for me. Areca is one of my favorite genera but also one of the most cold-sensitive. I've learned the hard way I have not hope of planting any of them. You are further south but much further inland so your winter situation is as bad or worse than mine.

[Missi]

Just posting a photo update of my beauty! It took around a year to finally settle in and start pushing out new growth regularly. Now it is very happy and pushing out lots of new growth! As a matter of fact, I'm going to need to move it off its current shelf between my two Pinanga coronata kuhlii (which are growing almost as quickly), perhaps onto a stand in a different area of my lanai. It's probably my favorite activity in life, to note my plants' growth 

 

[Missi]

On 9/16/2015, 5:03:02, PalmatierMeg said:

Missi, I would never put an A.v. in full FL sun even in winter. Shade or shadecloth only. I think I still have 1 or 2 of mine left but have gone through red, orange and yellow varieties over the years. Recently I read vestiaria are not the best Arecas for FL - maybe that's why most of mine lingered, declined, finally croaked (rats). If/when these last ones keel over, no more A.v. for me. Areca is one of my favorite genera but also one of the most cold-sensitive. I've learned the hard way I have not hope of planting any of them. You are further south but much further inland so your winter situation is as bad or worse than mine.

Meg, look above! There's hope for A. vestiaria here!

[palmad Merc]

I've got 80 of these growing in my greenhouse,wifes getting mad 

No more room she's saying.

I say they are beautiful just like you

[topwater]

On 9/15/2015, 9:47:45, Sunnie said:

My Areca does the crinkle leaf thing sometimes too!  I think your palm looks great.

A while back I read on one of the UF sites that the first few leaves often crinkle on new shoots of clumping palms. It was discussed in an article about normal things that get mistaken for a disease. Since then I've seen happen on lots of clumpers.  Your vestie is looking great Missi!  

[Missi]

14 hours ago, palmad Merc said:

I've got 80 of these growing in my greenhouse,wifes getting mad 

No more room she's saying.

I say they are beautiful just like you

 What are you plans for all these beauties?? A vestiaria jungle?!

[Missi]

13 hours ago, topwater said:

A while back I read on one of the UF sites that the first few leaves often crinkle on new shoots of clumping palms. It was discussed in an article about normal things that get mistaken for a disease. Since then I've seen happen on lots of clumpers.  Your vestie is looking great Missi!  

Ah! I love learning! I did not know this generalization re: clumpers! Thank you for sharing!

[PalmatierMeg]

Good work, Missi! My last A.v. gave up on life a few months ago. Guess I don't have the touch with them.