Sun loving palms in shade

[SubTropicRay]

Have you ever grown a palm known to love full sun and had success with it in a shady spot?

Ray

[Gileno Machado]

Ray:

I'm growing a bottle (Hyophorbe lagenicaulis) inside in the apartment in Recife and it is thriving with no direct sun, and far away from the window. The growth rate is much slower than her sisters outside, and the fronds are rather drooping, like a Dypsis onilahensis, but the palm doesn't seem to suffer at all...I water and mist it often

I'll take a picture of it later...

[quaman58]

Ray,

My thought is trying to define "success". Ignorance and a few other factors have lead me to have plants get shaded out. Some look okay, they just are a lot slower. Butia Capitata and Livistona Chinensis come to mind. But they're pretty tough. On the other hand Phoenix Robellinii hate, repeat hate being shaded out. I have 4 catagories in my mind; Shade, filtered sun, part day direct sun, and 10 hours and above sun. When I get the latter catagory plant falling into shade, the sooner I fix the problem, the better. I moved a fairly good sized Trianagle Palm in the spring for that reason--BEFORE it got too big. Interesting topic though, I'd like to hear other's inputs.

B/R's

Bret

[SubTropicRay]

Hi Bret,

IMO, if it's alive and has leaves on it, it's a success.  My Hyphaene has been shaded out by Bismarckia.  It is a slow grower for sure but still keeps a nice canopy of leaves.  It would definitely prefer the full baking Florida sun.

Ray

[Peter Pacific]

Hi Bret,

IMO, if it's alive and has leaves on it, it's a success.  My Hyphaene has been shaded out by Bismarckia.  It is a slow grower for sure but still keeps a nice canopy of leaves.  It would definitely prefer the full baking Florida sun.

Ray

I have a Latania loddigessii that I planted under some coconuts and I now four years later I wish I would have put it into full sun. It's small but beautiful. What I have a problem with are two large Livistona chinensis, also under several coconut palms. When I planted them they were in full sun but I never dreamed that the C. nucifera would become so large and give so much shade. Now the new leaves on my Livistonas, even though they're green and healthy, are stretching severely trying to get some sun. The tips of the leaves are probably 12' tall and the trunks on these palms that have been in the ground 7 or 8 years are about 20" in diameter. Would you move them? Peter

[quaman58]

Peter,

I recall an old thread specifically about L. chinensis; people were growing them from full sun to near total shade conditions. I remember thinking (after seeing all the different pictures) how much more beautiful the shaded ones were. Greener, stretched out, droopy & wonderfully tropical looking. If I was growing one, it would be in the shade..

[Peter Pacific]

Peter,

I recall an old thread specifically about L. chinensis; people were growing them from full sun to near total shade conditions. I remember thinking (after seeing all the different pictures) how much more beautiful the shaded ones were. Greener, stretched out, droopy & wonderfully tropical looking. If I was growing one, it would be in the shade..

Bret, thank you. I am obsessed sometimes about optimum conditions for my palms and think, "if there good and healthy here, they would be incredible if planted over there..."! Such is the case with my Livistonas. You gave me another opinion which made me think twice. I love the Livistona chinensis, even though they're in the shade and the thought of moving these incredibly heavy palms made me pause. Thanks to your view on them I will be happy to leave my green and stretched out fans in the shade! Peter

[Peter Pacific]

Here's the Latania loddigesii...in too much shade, but still great.

The Livistona chinensis, completely stretched but very healthy.

[Alberto]

.....On the other hand Phoenix Robellinii hate, repeat hate being shaded out....

I dont agree P.robellenii hate shade. I have seen very lush and beautifull roebellenis in shade. Last I transplanted 2 below canopy to protect them against radiational freezes and I´m hoping to have some palms growing big to make canopy for the others.

[MattyB]

Paul and I dug up a Roystonea regia that was growing in shade at his place. It seemed very happy to elongate and stretch upwards for the light source. Although these are known for being sun lovers, I think these can take sun or shade.

[Shon]

After seeing Dypsisdean's Brahea nitida in shade looking flawless I got one and planted it in shade as well.

[fiji jim]

Interesting thread.

One often reads of the right growing conditions for some species or other and finds this to not be the case in their particular environment.

Here I can't plant Nannorrhops in the sun as they all die but it goes well in the shade.

Also Howea are best here in shade and so do the P.roebelenii grow well in shade.

So I believe that there is no one rule for everywhere but the main factor seems to be the palms liking for drainage or tolerance to living with wet feet.

With most palms that we have grown in the shade when they are said to need full sun, there is a slower growth rate and an elongated appearance such as long petioles and if they are on the edge of a canopy they quiet often develop a bent trunk trying to find the sun.

Jim