Window Palm - any experience?

[TCIJeff]

I am thinking of grabbing this but am unfamiliar with them. Anyone have any insights? How concerned should I be about the occasional very strong wind as this will dictate where I place it. Thanks in advance.

 

 

[mnorell]

That palm looks very much to me to be Pritchardia pacifica. "Window Palm" seems an odd name for this species...and there are several other (unrelated) species of palm, known for small openings in juvenile leaves, that sometimes carry that moniker. Often in English-speaking countries it is called "Fiji Fan Palm," a misnomer in itself because this species is thought to be originally native near the Guadalcanal area of the Solomon Islands; and another species, Pritchardia thurstonii, is the "real" Fiji Fan Palm. 

As far as suitability for your area, this is an almost perfect all-around fan palm for any low-lying, tropical limestone island. Mine on Big Pine Key (Florida Keys), also a low-lying limestone island, came through Hurricane Irma with flying colors. It still retained several leaves after 160mph winds, tornadic bursts of wind, and about 4-5' of saltwater over it for 12+ hours. It has grown back perfectly. This species is arguably the most beautiful tall fan-leaf palm for tropical areas. The leaves have a unique, wavy quality and they seem perfectly suspended and in the breeze they move like waving hands. Its only downside in the greater Caribbean Basin is that it can be killed by Lethal Yellowing, and in Florida it is susceptible to occasional very cold temperatures. So if Lethal Yellowing is prevalent right now in Turks & Caicos you might want to think about it. But it really is a winner, can take sun or shade (but looks its most spectacular when young in partial sun), and loves limestone. That is a very nice-looking specimen!

[realarch]

I agree, a Pritchardia.  Not a Beccariophoenix fenestralis.

Tim