Another palm ID for Carmichael CA

[bar]

Hi All,

Here is a photo of a palm in my neighborhood.  Two different houses are growing these, and they've been there for at least two years,  (that's when I moved in). I'm thining they were purchased as pretty big plants.  They've survived our winters (Sacramento, CA area).  I know it's not the best picture, but the best I could get from a busy street.  The palm does appear to have a crownshaft.  I am guessing Archontophoenix purpurea, although I'm by no means certain, as crownshaft is anything but purple.  What I am certain of is that I want to get some of these for my new house, if I can identify it.  About a mile away, I've seen a ten foot tall Caryota.  I'm thinking that it's a bit warmer here in the winter than my old house in south Sacramento.  

Any thoughts?

Thank you,

Bruce

[Billeb]

By the looks of it they are Archontophoenix Cunninghamia’s. It’s very difficult to tell if the underside of the leaflets are white but the trunk and crownshaft look like Cunninghamia. Doesn’t have the leaf structure of Purpurea and very likely wouldn’t look too good being so exposed if they were. 
 

My bet is the standard King you buy at HD. 
 

-dale 

[Harry’s Palms]

I agree , Archontophoenix Cunninghamiana or King Palm . Common and readily available. If you go to a good nursery you may be able to find “ sun grown ‘ but you will pay more. If you buy from Home Depot or Lowe’s they are shade grown or greenhouse grown and will take a while to acclimate . The first year they will burn with any sun exposure. Harry

[awkonradi]

Hi Bruce,

Would you like to post pictures of the location where you would like to plant some of these?  I think they will want a lot of water during your summers, and maybe some shade.

[bar]

Thanks.  I was pretty sure these were Home Depot or Lowe's palms because I don't think that many people around here are palm aficionados. Archontophoenix cunninhamiana makes perfect sense.  Lowe's has some six foot tall triples in large tubs for $300,  but I won't spend that much on a plant.  Much as I hate Home Despot, I'll check them out if Lowe's doesn't have any.  

Here are some photos of the space where I am thinking of.  Both have direct sun until about noon (1 PM daylight saving time).   The sprinkler system will provide enough water, however, the soil will need lots of work because the previous owners had landscape fabric under EVERYTHING!

The second photo is the area behind the street sign on the right side of the first photo.  A large Sequoiadendron provides shade after noon.

Bruce

 

[awkonradi]

Other PalmTalkers are WAY better horticulturalists than me, but I think you're good.  I think the PM shade will be fine, and actually probably will be good.  Please post pictures after you plant any palms.

[Josue Diaz]

They will live in the Central Valley (Yes, Sacramento is part of the Central Valley 😁) if they are happy. They will sometimes burn in a bad winter, but in time, they will trunk and tolerate both cold and heat better. There are trunking king palms in Fresno that predate the 2007 freeze, which was a pretty bad winter. Mine in Fresno have about 12 feet of trunk.

[Josue Diaz]

4 minutes ago, awkonradi said:

Other PalmTalkers are WAY better horticulturalists than me, but I think you're good.  I think the PM shade will be fine, and actually probably will be good.  Please post pictures after you plant any palms.

afternoon shade will be a savior for archontophoenix in our climate

[bar]

Thank you.  It's a bit late in the season, but with cooler (i.e. 80's and mid 90's) temps ahead, I'm thinking I should be able to get some good root growth in.  I'll be protecting from too much rain in the winter anyway, for the first year.

Bruce

[Josue Diaz]

2 minutes ago, bar said:

Thank you.  It's a bit late in the season, but with cooler (i.e. 80's and mid 90's) temps ahead, I'm thinking I should be able to get some good root growth in.  I'll be protecting from too much rain in the winter anyway, for the first year.

Bruce

rain isn't an issue for these. The issue is cold if we ever go below 30F in a significant cold front. They'll take some light frost, but heavy frost will burn them, especially when young. They have better tolerance as they grow up. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

1 hour ago, bar said:

Thank you.  It's a bit late in the season, but with cooler (i.e. 80's and mid 90's) temps ahead, I'm thinking I should be able to get some good root growth in.  I'll be protecting from too much rain in the winter anyway, for the first year.

Bruce

Don’t “protect” them from rain. They love swampy soil, even during the winter. I have 50+ Archontophoenix in my Bay Area landscape and the ones in the wettest soil always look and grow the best. I have a few that sit in stagnant water with no drainage 365 days per year (pictured) and they LOVE it. 
 

[bar]

Thanks.  Didn't know that.  If that's the case, then I'm not worried at all.  

B

[bar]

Just to  close out the thread, I want to thank you all for the help.  I went to Lowe's today, and got this somewhat under potted  King palm for $27 plus tax, about $30 total.  I'm preparing my soil in the area now.  It's a bit clayey, and has had years of landscape fabric on it, so I have to remove the fabric, and improve the soil in the bed. I got a whole lot of coarse horticultural pumice (from a greenhouse where I volunteer) to help aerate the soil and improve drainage.  I'll also add some peat moss and earthworm castings to bring the soil back to life.

[Patrick]

Cool! Those look nice! Lots of water, that's the ticket! 

[Jim in Los Altos]

52 minutes ago, bar said:

Just to  close out the thread, I want to thank you all for the help.  I went to Lowe's today, and got this somewhat under potted  King palm for $27 plus tax, about $30 total.  I'm preparing my soil in the area now.  It's a bit clayey, and has had years of landscape fabric on it, so I have to remove the fabric, and improve the soil in the bed. I got a whole lot of coarse horticultural pumice (from a greenhouse where I volunteer) to help aerate the soil and improve drainage.  I'll also add some peat moss and earthworm castings to bring the soil back to life.

Remember though that fast draining soil is counterproductive with these palms. The swampier, the better. They love clay soil too.