PlantFiles: Montgomery Palm
Veitchia arecina

Here in Cape Coral (southwest FL), the palm is not yet widely planted, there are however many smaller specimens planted in some of the new landscapes at spec homes etc. I planted a triple specimen over two years ago. It must have been shade grown in the nursery where it was wholesaled. It immediately went into transplant shock after I planted it in the full sun shortly before hurricane wilma payed us a visit. A year and a half later is has steadily but not quickly developed into a very attractive specimen. I have seen many local specimens that are showing nutritional deficiencies so I have been generous with the fertilizer. It also happens to be in close proximity to an irrigation head which I am sure contributes some success. I would be interested in knowing if the plant is very drought tolerant once well established. I admired many specimens in Fort Lauderdale and Miami. I saw a couple of high rise roof gardens planted with this species, a very impressive sight! Locally this plant is sold as A. montgomeryana.

I live in Oakland Park, Florida just north of Fort Lauderdale. Home Depot sells this palm, two or three to a three gallon pot for about $10.00. I've separated them into their own pots and allowed them to recover from shock for about 5 weeks before planting them in the ground. In the recovery stage they do not want full sun. When planted in the ground, they take off quickly. I feed them with general palm fertilizer and water them fairly frequently especially when they are first planted. They are now more than 6 feet tall, growing 4 feet in 14 months.

I planted three Montgomery Palms back in the fall, they have a fuzzy shaft like a Foxtail Palm, fronds like a Christmas Palm, have been growing rather well dispite being planted in cool and dry weather during the winter. I don't see alot of these around here.

This has been a great palm for me in Altadena, CA (warm zone 10a). Mine has grown as quickly as an Archontophoenix (both height and number of leaves), and it seems to be happy with full midday sun now that it's formed a trunk. It did have some minor spotting on the leaves after the record breaking rainfall last winter, but otherwise always looks good.

Native to Vanuatu.

This species exemplifies palms for me in that it has a gracefully slender crownshaft. The fronds arch and spread out as if posing for a postcard photo. Allegedly this is a fast growing (to 100') adaptive palm however if palmbob isn't experiencing success with this plant in his region due to an unidentified fungus, I'd seriously reconsider planting it if you reside near him as there may be some pathogen "floating" around airborn.

My own personal experience with this particular species is failure in zone 9b.. just withers away over the years and then gets some nasty fungus and dies... but many southern Californians have good success with this palm in zone 10a... is a nice looking ringed trunk palm with upright, premorse leaflets... Never looks great in So Cal, but some look OK. Best still in tropical areas, such as its native VAnuatu island where it grows up to 80' tall. I saw one in Miami that had to be nearly that tall... so obviously does well there.