Allagoptera arenaria

Allagoptera arenaria
Restinga Palm

Restinga, a low, coastal scrub, and sand dunes near the beach are the native habitat of this attractive, small, bushy palm in southeastern Brazil. Its forking trunk usually grows underground, rarely upright and visible. The elegantly arching, bushy leaves are dark gray-green above and silvery-waxy below and the fruits are borne in curious, dense clusters on the tip of long, upright stalks. While the seeds tend to be somewhat erratic to germinate and seedling growth is fairly slow, the plants speed up considerably after a couple of years. The Restinga Palm prefers a sunny spot in sandy soil and will adapt to any tropical and subtropical climate. It is very resistant wind and salt and will look its best even under full coastal exposure. Seeds of this pretty palm are always short in supply and highly sought after, and we are particularly thrilled to be able to offer it in commercial quantities for the first time.

germination comments by our visitors
For general germination instructions click here.

Also see plant cultivation comments below.

Seeds from this species ...

...easy to germinate and need up to 3 months to sprout.
they were sown in mix of compost and river sand and they where sown in december and now after four months they are giving their first leafs. they where in an incubation chamber at 25ºc.
Submitted on 09/04/2003 by joao carlos capelo joaocarloscapelo@hotmail.com

...difficult to germinate and need up to 3 months to sprout.
I have been germinating this palm for years. Many people I've talked to say they are difficult but I have found they germinate very evenly and suddenly starting at 3 months with "very high heat". This is the key. They need at least 90F or higher during the day and at least 80F or higher at night. I use community pots with mixture of half perlite/ half canadian peat moss, and bury them just about 3/4 so the top sticks out. My germination rate with fresh seed is well over 90% with this method.
Submitted on 23/11/2002 by Charlene Palm beachpalms@att.net

...easy to germinate and need up to 6 months to sprout.
Though this species has not an easy germination, I have had a fair result, placing the seeds halfway on moist sand, in a box with lid, giving plenty of heat. germination has occoured after three months with a rate of 70%
Submitted on 10/11/2002 by Angelo Porcelli angelopalm69@inwind.it

...easy to germinate and need up to 6 months to sprout.
Soak fresh seeds for three days in warm water, thenput in moist peat, seal the top of the pot and place it in warm location (about 27 - 30 d.C.)Make sure the peat doesn't dry out.First seed germinated after 3 months, last one - after 5 months.If fresh seeds used, germination rate comes to 60%.
Submitted on by Sergei Leonov serileonov@hotmail.com


	• • • Write a germination comment and enter to win Euro (€) 50 worth of seeds • • • Please note: These comments are on how to get the SEEDS to germinate.

plant cultivation comments by our visitors
Also see germination commnets above.

Plants from this species ...

... have not yet been commented on. Be the first to write a comment:


	• • • Write a plant cultivation comment and enter to win Euro (€) 50 worth of seeds • • • Please note: These comments are on how to cultivate the PLANTS once the seeds have germinated.

If you wish to read more on palm cultivation, we highly recommend Ornamental Palm Horticulture by Timothy K. Broschat and Alan W. Meerow, available in our bookshop.

Ratings and comments reflect individual experiences and the views of our visitors. They do not necessarily describe the most appropriate methods, nor are they necessarily valid for all seeds or plants of this species. Germination and plant cultivation success depends on many different factors; nevertheless, these experiences will hopefully aid you in your effort to get the best germination results from our seeds and the best growth results from your plants.

We recommend:

Martius, Book of Palms
by H. Walter Lack

Hardcover - 450 pages
19.8 x 13.5 inches!
11.1 pounds!
50 x 34 cm, 5 kg

Our Rating:

Suitable for: all

Martius's magnificent work on the varieties of palm tree. This epic folio was based on Martius's expedition to Brazil and Peru with zoologist Johann Baptist von Spix. From 1817 to 1820 the pair travelled over 2,250 km (1,400 miles) throughout the Amazon Basin, the most species-rich palm region in the world, collecting and sketching specimens.
In his epic work, Martius outlined the modern classification of palm, produced the first maps of palm biogeography, described all the palms of Brazil, and collated the sum of all known genera of the palm family. For apart from his own collection of specimens and notes, Martius also wrote about the findings of others.
Martius's folio is unusual in its inclusion of cross-sectioned diagrams, conveying the architecture of these mighty trees. Equally remarkable are the color landscapes showing various palms—often standing alone—which have a simple and elegant beauty. This famous work is an unrivaled landmark in botanic illustration and taxonomy.

Available at the following book shops:

Other selected books are available in our Book Shop