Which palm in a pot in MI?

[RaychHasDatePalms]

So I know, I know.... palms and Michigan, and we have had this discussion many times before. 
 

HOWEVER. 
 

I have had bad luck with keeping palms alive, obviously, but I feel I have chosen the wrong ones. Plenty of us have had this discussion and I know plenty of you are able to do it. (Yes, KinzyJr, I am referring to you —and others) 
 

So. What do you think? I am looking at a pygmy date palm, a Christmas palm, or a cycid that has a similar silhouette to the other two mentioned. It would be in a pot in my office, which has a window but I’d say partial sun as opposed to full sun. (I do also have a grow lamp in there that my hardy fig has loved but that wasn’t good enough for my coconut baby, RIP.) It’s hot and very humid in the summer—70s-90s—but the winter is extremely dry and we tend to keep the furnace at 69-71. 
 

Not A TA also mentioned sending something, too, since I had bad luck with my seeds (idk what it is with seeds and me), which is AMAZING and so kind, so there will be more conversation regarding indoor palm health at that time, I am sure. 
 

Also, once I’m done watching YouTube church, I’ll post the links of the trees in the shop I am looking at. I am willing to bet that someone here is familiar with the shop.

 

Thank you so much!!!!! 

[Ben in Norcal]

Of those you mentioned, the Pygmy Date is the best choice...though spikey!

Why not look for a nice Chamaedorea species?  They are the only genus that really thrive indoors, in my experience.

[RaychHasDatePalms]

14 minutes ago, Ben in Norcal said:

Of those you mentioned, the Pygmy Date is the best choice...though spikey!

Why not look for a nice Chamaedorea species?  They are the only genus that really thrive indoors, in my experience.

I really don't like the look of those.... I prefer the slender, clean trunk as opposed to the bush look. I guess blame my mom for her jungle of bush-like plants in the house all winter?

I was thinking sago at first because they're technically a succulent, but when I realized how toxic they are..... I mean my 3 year old has an issue (we are working on constantly!) with thinking she can put plant parts in her mouth. 

I love the looks of both the true palms mentioned. Any advice for keeping it (or the Christmas) happy inside? 

Thanks for your response!!

[Ben in Norcal]

1 minute ago, RaychHasDatePalms said:

I really don't like the look of those.... I prefer the slender, clean trunk as opposed to the bush look. I guess blame my mom for her jungle of bush-like plants in the house all winter?

I was thinking sago at first because they're technically a succulent, but when I realized how toxic they are..... I mean my 3 year old has an issue (we are working on constantly!) with thinking she can put plant parts in her mouth. 

I love the looks of both the true palms mentioned. Any advice for keeping it (or the Christmas) happy inside? 

Thanks for your response!!

Chamaedorea are the definition of slender trunked palms. I will try to post some pics of my indoor Chamaedorea.

 

[RaychHasDatePalms]

19 minutes ago, Ben in Norcal said:

Chamaedorea are the definition of slender trunked palms. I will try to post some pics of my indoor Chamaedorea.

 

Yours looks very nice.  How long did it take yours to grow that tall, under what conditions? 

I also miss the palms that surrounded me when I lived in the Middle East--hence the love of the date palm look, as well as the Christmas palm--they had them at one of the resorts I stayed at one of the times I visited the Red Sea, and they're just amazing! 

[RaychHasDatePalms]

These are the two I'm looking at: 

https://urbantropicals.com/product/miniature-date-palm-tree-phoenix-roebelenii/

and

https://urbantropicals.com/product/christmas-palm-tree-adonidia-merrillii/

I also am guessing that the pygmy date is more reasonable in my situation, but I want to give both of them, and the group, a fair shot. 

[Ben in Norcal]

2 minutes ago, RaychHasDatePalms said:

Yours looks very nice.  How long did it take yours to grow that tall, under what conditions? 

I also miss the palms that surrounded me when I lived in the Middle East--hence the love of the date palm look, as well as the Christmas palm--they had them at one of the resorts I stayed at one of the times I visited the Red Sea, and they're just amazing! 

I have had these a few years, from 5 gallon size.  You can mail order some nice Chamaedorea that will already have some trunk.

[Ben in Norcal]

1 minute ago, RaychHasDatePalms said:

These are the two I'm looking at: 

https://urbantropicals.com/product/miniature-date-palm-tree-phoenix-roebelenii/

and

https://urbantropicals.com/product/christmas-palm-tree-adonidia-merrillii/

I also am guessing that the pygmy date is more reasonable in my situation, but I want to give both of them, and the group, a fair shot. 

Those are going to be tiny and certainly the Phoenix is very slow growing so will be "bush like" for years and years.

I have no experience with Adonidia, indoors or out.

Good luck!

[PalmatierMeg]

If you can't keep a coconut alive indoors you will have no better luck with Adonidia, which are as tricky. Both need high heat, humidity and light that are tough commodities to provide in dark, dry, chilly northern homes. Phoenix roebelenii is not nearly as fastidious but is ferociously armed. Still, it is a possibility esp. after your child grows past the chewing stage.

If you think all Chamaedoreas are clumpers you are mistaken. C. radicalis, oblongata, geoniformis, glaucifolia, klotzschiana & elegans are solitary. Then there is the old Victorian parlor standby Howea forsteriana, which has been the poster child for indoor palms. You probably won't find Howeas where you live but they are common in CA and I'm sure someone there can refer you to a source.

I wouldn't try a sago until you are sure your child won't be attracted to scarlet red seeds of a female plant.

[RaychHasDatePalms]

Thank you very much!

[oasis371]

Cycas revoluta does not at all make a good indoor "palm".  Besides the fact that they're not palms, they require too much heat and sun in the growing season..., without it, they'll just sit there and get more and more stunted growth. They are also prickly!  I can suggest a few palms as reliable in the house, unfortunately, many of those are not so commonly available, or if they are, are quite expensive!   I like Rhapis (Lady palms), Howea (Kentia palms), Spindle palms (Hyophorbe), Fishtail palms (Caryota mitis), and Chamaedoreas.  Like I said, many of these are not readily available..., especially in more northern zones.  I do LOVE Phoenix palms, and have several, but those don't come into the house, I keep them in the garage! They are VERY prickly..., even the Pygmy one is prickly. Of the ones that I mentioned, I guess I like best the classic Victorian Howea (Kentia) and Rhapis (Lady palms).  They both can be costly, IF AVAILABLE, Lady Palms are suckering, so are easily propagated. The Kentia is slow growing and not so readily available in the USA, and also expensive.  Hope this is helpful.

[RaychHasDatePalms]

Thank you everyone who has given their thoughts so far! 

Only because it’s been brought up a few times, I don’t mind the prickliness of date palms. ☺️ 

[kinzyjr]

@RaychHasDatePalms

One palm that gets overlooked for indoors is Butia archeri: https://www.palmpedia.net/wiki/Butia_archeri

If you can find one, they can typically be kept indoors for their entire lifespan.  Offhand, I know you could order the seeds from RPS:

https://www.rarepalmseeds.com/plant-group/palms/butia-archeri?limit=120

Obviously, Phoenix roebelenii is the best known small palm and you like those.  Adonidia merrillii are said to have some troubles indoors, but I think @Rasta Rob has some in Ontario that are doing alright.  I have a Chamaedorea microspadix setting immature fruit at this point.  If they don't abort, you're welcome to have a few.

[RaychHasDatePalms]

26 minutes ago, kinzyjr said:

@RaychHasDatePalms

One palm that gets overlooked for indoors is Butia archeri: https://www.palmpedia.net/wiki/Butia_archeri

If you can find one, they can typically be kept indoors for their entire lifespan.  Offhand, I know you could order the seeds from RPS:

https://www.rarepalmseeds.com/plant-group/palms/butia-archeri?limit=120

Obviously, Phoenix roebelenii is the best known small palm and you like those.  Adonidia merrillii are said to have some troubles indoors, but I think @Rasta Rob has some in Ontario that are doing alright.  I have a Chamaedorea microspadix setting immature fruit at this point.  If they don't abort, you're welcome to have a few.

Thanks! I’d love to keep trying my hand at seeds. Eventually, something has to work, right?

Thank you for your comment! 

[hbernstein]

Rhapis (lady Palm) is good in low light, high light, high humidity, fairly low humidity. It tolerates slight dryness well. Like many palms, it doesn't like poorly-drained potting mixes.

It's a great indoor plant and will appreciate vacations in bright shade outside in the Summer.

[Rickybobby]

Actually I’ve had some difficultly with Adonidia palms indoors. Well 7g plus. But if I can mention a lot of them had root issues when I got them. My seedlings seem to be bulletproof. I had a lot of issues with nursery grown palms which led me to growing my own and having full control 

[NOT A TA]

On 5/10/2020 at 10:39 AM, RaychHasDatePalms said:

Not A TA also mentioned sending something, too, since I had bad luck with my seeds (idk what it is with seeds and me), which is AMAZING and so kind, so there will be more conversation regarding indoor palm health at that time, I am sure. 

I sent palm and cycad seedlings as well as some more palm seeds for her to try germinating during the warmer months up North. So she needs recommendations on soil mixes, pot types & sizes.  etc for potted palms & cycads. I had  limited experience with potted palms up North before escaping to the South and here everything I do is in growers pots with very sandy soil outside. I've been selling seed online through Ebay & my store for a while and want to add seedlings to what I ship so I wanted to experiment with shipping them and since they're free to her if I messed up and some die, oh well. Also as most would expect some aren't going to live long term up North anyway no matter what.   Hopefully polar vortexes are over up there while they're on the way! Anyway here's what I sent her she'll need recommendations for. She should be able to use the Orchid moss the roots of seedlings are wrapped in while in transport for baggie germination method of the seeds.

Seed

Montgomery palm    Veitchia arecina

Cat Palm     Chamaedorea cataractum

Areca Palm       Dypsis lutescens

Christmas Palm    Adonidia merrillii

Seedlings

Green Malayan Dwarf Coconut     Cocos nucifera

Canary Island Date Palm     Phoenix canariensis

Areca Palm    Dypsis lutescens

Christmas palm   Adonidia merrillii

Cardboard palm   Zamia furfuracea 

[RaychHasDatePalms]

25 minutes ago, NOT A TA said:

I sent palm and cycad seedlings as well as some more palm seeds for her to try germinating during the warmer months up North. So she needs recommendations on soil mixes, pot types & sizes.  etc for potted palms & cycads. I had  limited experience with potted palms up North before escaping to the South and here everything I do is in growers pots with very sandy soil outside. I've been selling seed online through Ebay & my store for a while and want to add seedlings to what I ship so I wanted to experiment with shipping them and since they're free to her if I messed up and some die, oh well. Also as most would expect some aren't going to live long term up North anyway no matter what.   Hopefully polar vortexes are over up there while they're on the way! Anyway here's what I sent her she'll need recommendations for. She should be able to use the Orchid moss the roots of seedlings are wrapped in while in transport for baggie germination method of the seeds.

Seed

Montgomery palm    Veitchia arecina

Cat Palm     Chamaedorea cataractum

Areca Palm       Dypsis lutescens

Christmas Palm    Adonidia merrillii

Seedlings

Green Malayan Dwarf Coconut     Cocos nucifera

Canary Island Date Palm     Phoenix canariensis

Areca Palm    Dypsis lutescens

Christmas palm   Adonidia merrillii

Cardboard palm   Zamia furfuracea 

I am so so so excited! 

If I can't get any of this to work then I'll just have to move someplace tropical or desert. (My husband and I legit looked into Hawaii, but ended up buying here instead because we were worried about our parents being a little older without us there. We..... discussed the regret when it snowed here last week.) 

 

[RaychHasDatePalms]

PIC HEAVY

Look what Not A TA was kind enough to send! I am pretty sure everything arrived in good condition, courtesy of Michigan’s weather behaving. 

First two pics because idk what a sprouted but unplanted coco is supposed to look like re: the root, etc. 

Edited May 15, 2020 by RaychHasDatePalms

[NOT A TA]

Looks like the seedlings did just fine on their trip! Have fun potting them and trying germination again.

[RaychHasDatePalms]

11 hours ago, NOT A TA said:

Looks like the seedlings did just fine on their trip! Have fun potting them and trying germination again.

Thanks! I am excited!
 

are there two that could grow together for now in a big enough pot, or do you not recommend that for any of them?

[Rickybobby]

Roebellinis are so easy to keep indoors mine grow like weeds. Moist soil doesn’t hurt them. They are always thirst. Roots stay healthy abs they don’t mind indoor temps. Definitely a good choice. Also foxtail palms. Dates and washys are fool proof for us indoor specialists 

[NOT A TA]

I'd use separate pots for each type of plant. The Dypsis were all in one pot so their roots are intermingled anyway so it'd be easiest to just put them in the same pot and wash the new soil into the roots so you don't get air pockets. You can put the Zamia in a 6" pot and they'll be good for a couple years in it as they're slow when young.

[RaychHasDatePalms]

2 hours ago, Rasta Rob said:

Roebellinis are so easy to keep indoors mine grow like weeds. Moist soil doesn’t hurt them. They are always thirst. Roots stay healthy abs they don’t mind indoor temps. Definitely a good choice. Also foxtail palms. Dates and washys are fool proof for us indoor specialists 

Thank you! I am so excited to get mine. We officially ordered it yesterday and it will probably be 4-5 weeks till it shows, due to supply and demand. I’m looking forward to it for sure! 

[RaychHasDatePalms]

2 hours ago, NOT A TA said:

I'd use separate pots for each type of plant. The Dypsis were all in one pot so their roots are intermingled anyway so it'd be easiest to just put them in the same pot and wash the new soil into the roots so you don't get air pockets. You can put the Zamia in a 6" pot and they'll be good for a couple years in it as they're slow when young.

Sounds good! I ordered some more palm soil and pots For pickup yesterday and will pick them up soon. (Long story but I’m feeling sickish today.) I am hoping later today! I potted the cardboard palms and coco yesterday; will do the others probably tonight. I’ll share pics when all are potted!