Palm accidentally bought as Areca triandra - Arenga?

[LivistonaFan]

Hello, 

I am relatively new to this forum and have low experience in palms, especially those for hardiness zone 10 and above.

I bought this Palm as Areca triandra among other palms about two months ago online and didn't give it much attention. But recently as I saw photos of Areca seedlings, I knew that it wasn't one. Could this be an Arenga, maybe A. australasica (they look very similar)? Maybe something completely different? If yes, this might not be a good palm for indoor cultivation?

[Moose]

Hopefully Arenga hookeriana. Arenga australisca gets to be a large broad palm. You would need a very large open air house.

May be too soon to get an accurate ID.

[LivistonaFan]

Thank you, I will post an update on this palm when it has grown bigger. That could take a lot of time, because only one frond developped in 2 months.

[LivistonaFan]

 

The next leaf has now fully developed. (I took the picture with the flashlight to show its glossy leaves). It seems to like the indoor conditions because now it has grown more in a month than in the three before. The youngest leaf got probably damage as the temperatures went down to 2.4 °C/ 36.3°F one night. By comparing the leaves to A. hookeriana's, I think it is unlikely that it is one?

[LivistonaFan]

I also like that the leaves are very whitish underneath

[maxum2610]

Looks like arenga engleri.

 

[LivistonaFan]

13 hours ago, maxum2610 said:

Looks like arenga engleri.

 

This is what I think as well because it seems to be the most common Arenga. BUT the shop which it is from only offers Arenga hookeriana and A. australasica at this size, which is why I think it might be one of these two. At this size, it definitely looks more like an australasica or engleri than a hookeriana, but I would prefer the latter over the others.

[LivistonaFan]

On 11/21/2018 at 10:47 PM, maxum2610 said:

Looks like arenga engleri.

 

Are you still confident with the ID? It has lost all its leaves about two years ago with a low of -3 °C out in the open (it was an experiment). 

[thyerr01]

I agree, Arenga engleri. Looks good.

[Merlyn]

If it was burned at -3C (26.6F) then there is a good chance it is Arenga Tremula.  I have a bunch of Engleri in the ground, none have taken any damage at >24F with or without frost.  But I have one Tremula and it looks nearly identical to Engleri...I bought it as an Engleri before I knew the difference.  Tremula has a significant number of paired leaves towards the base of the frond, like your recent photo.  Tremula takes significant damage around 30F, especially with frost.  I moved mine to a spot with some high canopy, and it was mostly ok with the 28-30ish December and January cold fronts.