SW / Central Florida Privacy Screen

[FLHombre]

Hi guys. Here in Miami everyone i know uses areca’s for palm privacy screens. I bought a property recently between Tampa & Sarasota (just south of the Tampa Bay Inlet). It’s in 9b 2 miles from 10a. The specific location it’s in has seen 28F a few times over the past 25 years. This past winter low was approx 34F.

I need to put up a 200 ft long DENSE privacy screen (ideally would reach 8’+ but no limit on height). I would really like to use solely / primarily palms. Covering palms during a potential freeze won’t be an option.

It seems arecas are questionable given the location. I haven’t found anything suitable but would like to turn to the experts before I put in 200 ft of wax myrtle or something else boring. The property has hundreds of huge Sabals that do great for what it’s worth.

Edited August 19, 2023 by FLHombre

[aabell]

Acoelorrhaphe wrightii might be a good alternative for you. 

[D. Morrowii]

Might be a little borderline but Pinanga coronata is very nice

[Fishinsteeg234]

Maybe consider alternating different textures and heights, with plantings spaced 6-8 feet apart; example white bird of paradise clump (wide leaf), then a tall bamboo clump (clumping habit only), then a different palm screen choice in between. Palms could consist of the clumping types, C. Pembana, cabadae, etc. You could also consider B. alfredii if you have the space, they are slow growing and stay pretty bushy and dense for about 30+ years before the trunk would exceed 8’ in height while still screening a large wide footprint. If the white bird of paradise and bamboo grow tall fast enough, you could probably plant some special palms under the dappled shade creating a small microclimate. Could also consider mango, avocado, banana added in there too. 
 

I’m imagining a 200’ length stretch of C. lutescens (or any other marginal plam) after a bad freeze, would look terrible (brown and crunchy) for quite some time. If alternating wide leaf plants, then tall dappled shade options may be a better screen choice for adding your favorite palms stuck in between. The varying sizes, textures, and cold hardiness may help in the long run incase you want to remove and replace a certain planting while keeping the dense screen look. 

[Hurricanepalms]

My suggestions will hinge on irrigation or the amount of water naturally present and likely to accumulate in this section of your property between and during rain events. Ptychosperma Macarthurii and Areca Triandra. Both of these do not enjoy drought. From what I have read, Areca Triandra is the more cold tolerant of the two, but may not clump as densely or grow quite as quickly. Triandra did well throughout the horrible winters of 2009 and 2010 in Orlando as the @Eric in Orlando following thread testifies 

You could also plant some large shade trees 40ft on center and then, once some shade is established, you would have even more options for unique solitary and clustering palms. For example, different Licuala, pinanaga, and Arenga species to name a few.

Best of luck!

[RedRabbit]

4 minutes ago, Hurricanepalms said:

My suggestions will hinge on irrigation or the amount of water naturally present and likely to accumulate in this section of your property between and during rain events. Ptychosperma Macarthurii and Areca Triandra. Both of these do not enjoy drought. From what I have read, Areca Triandra is the more cold tolerant of the two, but may not clump as densely or grow quite as quickly. Triandra did well throughout the horrible winters of 2009 and 2010 in Orlando as the @Eric in Orlando following thread testifies 

You could also plant some large shade trees 40ft on center and then, once some shade is established, you would have even more options for unique solitary and clustering palms. For example, different Licuala, pinanaga, and Arenga species to name a few.

Best of luck!

I’d love to try a Triandra here, I’ve never found one for sale in Central Florida though. 

[Hurricanepalms]

Hi @RedRabbit, If you don’t mind starting smaller, I believe @NatureGirl grows them on a fairly regular basis. Below is a picture of a 1 gallon I bought from her about a month ago. It’s doing really well and taken full half day sun (with regular watering). It’s hard to see in the picture, but there is a small offshoot on the right side of the base.

[RedRabbit]

4 hours ago, Hurricanepalms said:

Hi @RedRabbit, If you don’t mind starting smaller, I believe @NatureGirl grows them on a fairly regular basis. Below is a picture of a 1 gallon I bought from her about a month ago. It’s doing really well and taken full half day sun (with regular watering). It’s hard to see in the picture, but there is a small offshoot on the right side of the base.

I’d love one, but she’s 3 hrs away.

[FLHombre]

Thanks for the tips. I will check into these. It’s full sun btw.

[Merlyn]

Arenga Engleri makes a great dense screen, but 200' of it would be fairly expensive to buy 15g pots.  It's one of the hardiest pinnate palms and good for full sun to shade around the Tampa or Orlando areas.  I have 11 clusters of it in the ground.

Dypsis/Chrysalidocarpus has a bunch of clumpers that would work.  Areca/Lutescens is fast and dense and hardy to about freezing, but defoliates badly with frost and any temps under 30F.  Pembana is a touch hardier but isn't too dense of a clumper.  Lanceolata is also not too hardy, I had several small ones die at around 30F.  Baronii is similar to Lutescens but supposedly hardier.  Cabadae and Arenarum are another similar option.  Arenarum large 2' tall seedlings survived 24F and frost in my backyard!

Caryota Mitis could be an option, but you'd have to cut down the flowered/dead trunks every ~5 years.  It does make an impenetrable screen and is fast growing and cheap and readily available.  It is also only hardy to around 30F and burns badly with frost.

Allagoptera Arenaria makes a great short tree/large shrub, and is super hardy too.  It is very slow growing, so somewhat expensive and hard to find in a bigger pot.  But the curly leaves are really cool!

Pinanga Coronata is a great palm, but also not too hardy. 

Ptychosperma Macarthurii and Schefferi are good dense clumpers.  I'd rate them similar to Areca/Lutescens in hardiness.

[happypalms]

On 8/20/2023 at 3:54 AM, FLHombre said:

Hi guys. Here in Miami everyone i know uses areca’s for palm privacy screens. I bought a property recently between Tampa & Sarasota (just south of the Tampa Bay Inlet). It’s in 9b 2 miles from 10a. The specific location it’s in has seen 28F a few times over the past 25 years. This past winter low was approx 34F.

I need to put up a 200 ft long DENSE privacy screen (ideally would reach 8’+ but no limit on height). I would really like to use solely / primarily palms. Covering palms during a potential freeze won’t be an option.

It seems arecas are questionable given the location. I haven’t found anything suitable but would like to turn to the experts before I put in 200 ft of wax myrtle or something else boring. The property has hundreds of huge Sabals that do great for what it’s worth.

Greetings from sunny Australia you could try Areca letescens with a wodyetia birfurcata alternating then underneath them a border of chameadorea cataractum I have seen those  in a long hedge with great a impact wow affect either way I wish I was making the sale to you good luck 

[Bkue]

I’m in Oviedo and have several hundred feet of areca’s going. Other than cleaning them they are fine. I’m approaching 10ft with multiple 4ft trunks after 4yrs from 3gal. Sure, they get some burn on a really cold night. Next year I’m going to start clearing out the bottoms and only keep the trunks. 
 

these are mostly on the outside of my aluminum fence. I have jasmine between filling in the fence. 
 

you are in a better spot than me. I do have an oak canopy though so idk. If you like areca’s go for it. Plenty of less tolerant species where you are. 

Edited August 26, 2023 by Bkue