Areca Palm

[Miss T]

Hello,

I recently purchased a home with a Areca Palm that has been neglected. I guess it wasn’t planted correctly and the exposed roots are 17 inches from the ground and the plastic pot it was in has burst. I was thinking of removing the pot, putting up a nice tree ring of stone and then fill it up with some good soil. Does that sound ok. Should I leave the exposed trunk without the soil?

[kinzyjr]

5 hours ago, Miss T said:

Hello,

I recently purchased a home with a Areca Palm that has been neglected. I guess it wasn’t planted correctly and the exposed roots are 17 inches from the ground and the plastic pot it was in has burst. I was thinking of removing the pot, putting up a nice tree ring of stone and then fill it up with some good soil. Does that sound ok. Should I leave the exposed trunk without the soil?

Welcome to PalmTalk!  You should be OK to do that.  I'd leave a little bit of the rootball above the soil line.  It doesn't appear to have much burn on it from the winter, so it appears to be in an amenable climate.

[Miss T]

Thanks for responding🙂

[Z4Devil]

Double congrats to your new home and this beautiful palm. 🙂 And a warm welcome at PT.
Put it in the ground like every other palm, good and drainaged soil is necessary. Fertilizer I would use about 3 - 4 weeks after putting it in the ground.
 

[Cindy Adair]

Glad you are on PT! I have learned so much here and met numerous interesting people.

In Puerto Rico these are easy and popular and in fact become huge.

I have planted Chrysalidocarpus psammophila as a smaller/less dense substitute, but that palm is harder to find.

I laugh a bit when I pass a group of them in front of a neighbor’s house where they sheared them down to less than three feet tall and made a continuous hedge. Yet more than a year later they are all fine. Could be a new trend?

In case you are into Latin names, Areca palms did used to be in the Areca genus. Then they were called Dypsis lutescens. Now they are Chrysalidocarpus lutescens or yes, still Areca or yellow butterfly palms for short!

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ST165

[iDesign]

Under different circumstances you could consider splitting the clump, but in your case maybe thin it out instead. I personally think it would look even nicer if you were to cut off some of the smaller trunks. Would look less dense and highlight the attractive larger trunks. Ideally you would plant it deeper (without the pot), but mounding dirt in a planter would also be an option if the roots are too entrenched. Looking forward to the “after” photo!

[redant]

Wasn't planted at all lol.  I'd cut away what ever part of the pot u can and mound some dirt around the base. If you feel up to the boarder of some nature even better. These grow like weeks so it's gonna grow no matter.

[redant]

Not sure what this one is, bought several Calyptrocalyx a couple years ago, most just suffer. This seems to be doing decent for now. Most of my Calyptrocalyx seem to suffer the most in the summer, come back a bit in the winter, only to suffer again. 

[byuind]

[Patrick Palms]

Does Areca Palms Need Shade or cope in Full Sun ?

[miamicuse]

It looks like it was sitting in a pot and never planted, and later on the roots escaped the pot.  It would be better to dig it out, remove the pot and replant it at the proper depth.  The effort may be about the same if you consider the time to buy, mobilized, stack stones around it and fill it with soil.

I am no palm expert but this plant shoots up new suckers like weed, and if you don't clean it from time to time it can fill in the middle pretty quickly with the new suckers becoming getting taller and taller and you may end up with a large mound like I did.  Here is a thread with some pictures of one of mine and I end up cutting it down.

 

[Cindy Adair]

20 hours ago, Patrick Palms said:

Does Areca Palms Need Shade or cope in Full Sun ?

In Puerto Rico they love sun and will show the yellow stems more there, but will grow anywhere in the ground or in pots, sun or shade.

They are in medians where they never get extra water and surely no fertilizer.

They cluster so tightly that they provide privacy screens and help hold the dirt on steep slopes to decrease the chance of landslides.

They get wide and tall here in the tropics and I have read here on PT that they are a pain to thin out or try to remove if space is limited. 

[Johnny Palmseed]

@Miss T As already explained, it was never planted. Someone put it there and the roots found their way through the drain holes in the pot. Judging by the size it looks like it has been there for several years and probably has a substantial root ball. Also, even though you have not given your exact location it is likely to be central Florida or south which allows you to grow many more interesting palms than the “Areca Palm”. I would recommend digging it out and getting something new but using blocks to make a ring would probably work.

[Patrick Palms]

Anyone Growing Areca in Full Sun ?  and what size can they be in Full Sun ?

[kinzyjr]

@Patrick Palms There are people that grow them in full sun here, but they tend to look a little bleached.  The best ones are in dappled light under oak canopy.  I've seen 3 gallons put in full sun and grow well.  In your case, the scenario might be different given the climate regime of the Canary Islands.

[Pal Meir]

23 hours ago, Patrick Palms said:

Anyone Growing Areca in Full Sun ?  and what size can they be in Full Sun ?

Here under full sun in QLD/Australia:

[Bkue]

On 4/3/2023 at 3:08 PM, Patrick Palms said:

Anyone Growing Areca in Full Sun ?  and what size can they be in Full Sun ?

I have over 200 in central fl. The ones in full sun are 2x the size as others but more noticeable yellowing and more damage from cold. That said, after spring cleaning, I have 3-4ft of actual trunk compared to none or 1ft in partial shade after 3yrs from 3 gal. 
 

shade palms overall, 5ft max. Sun palms, 10-12ft. Shade palms, maybe 1-2 dominant trunks, sun palms, 4-6 real trunks. 

[SeanK]

On 3/30/2023 at 6:56 PM, Miss T said:

Hello,

I recently purchased a home with a Areca Palm that has been neglected. I guess it wasn’t planted correctly and the exposed roots are 17 inches from the ground and the plastic pot it was in has burst. I was thinking of removing the pot, putting up a nice tree ring of stone and then fill it up with some good soil. Does that sound ok. Should I leave the exposed trunk without the soil?

Pot-Planting was all the rage 20 years ago on the west coast US.

[Pankaj Rajpali]

On 3/31/2023 at 4:26 AM, Miss T said:

Hello,

I recently purchased a home with a Areca Palm that has been neglected. I guess it wasn’t planted correctly and the exposed roots are 17 inches from the ground and the plastic pot it was in has burst. I was thinking of removing the pot, putting up a nice tree ring of stone and then fill it up with some good soil. Does that sound ok. Should I leave the exposed trunk without the soil?

Hi Miss T,

Your strategy of taking out the plastic pot and building a stone tree ring with healthy soil seems like a sensible way to support your Areca palm.

For a more thorough response, see the following:
1. Remove the Pot: It is advisable to remove the plastic pot entirely because it has burst. This will facilitate the spread of the roots and improve the palm's soil-planting ability. 
2. Tree Ring and Soil: Constructing a stone tree ring is a really good idea. It will aid in soil containment and give it a beautiful appearance. Make sure the soil is appropriate for palms and well-draining before adding more. Areca palms like well-drained, slightly acidic soil over neutral soil. 
3. Exposed Trunk: It's crucial to avoid adding soil to the exposed trunk. If the trunk is covered, rot and other issues may result. Fill the earth around the roots instead, leaving the trunk uncovered. Maintain the soil level just below the point where the trunk and roots converge.
4. After repotting the palm, make sure it is in an area with indirect sunlight and give it lots of water. Allowing the soil to slightly dry out in between waterings will help you avoid overwatering. Your Areca palm should have the best chance of recovering and thriving in its new home if you follow this method!

[Bkue]

I would say 15% of mine are full sun. The rest are partial and veritable. The one that are, and revive enough water, are notably bigger. That said, none are small. The shaded ones have smaller trunks but longer fronds. I am happy with the growth over the last 3-4yrs. I do hit fert 2x a year but have super hydrophobic soil. 

[Harry’s Palms]

Mine , here in Southern California , have done very well. They have been in the ground for 20 years or so . One is on a sunnier side of the house and the other gets a lot more afternoon shade . They are both the same height but , to me , the one in the shadier location looks fuller. Harry