Areca macrocalyx

Areca macrocalyx
Highland Betel Nut Palm

A tall and fast growing, solitary palm with a dense crown of lush, dark green leaves with broad leaflets. Native to the mountains of New Guinea, it will do well in humid tropical and subtropical climates.

germination comments by our visitors
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Also see plant cultivation comments below.

Seeds from this species ...

...very easy to germinate and need up to 1 month to sprout.
This species has a particularly thick hairy covering, very similar to the fibers of a cigarette butt. This seems to contribute to fungal infection. The ones I get to germinate to so in a couple of weeks with heat. Most of those quickly damp off. I would recommend removing the fibers, then treating with a fungicide before sowing. When they are transplanted, make sure the medium is well drained.
Submitted on 22/02/2005 by Jason Skelly skellsbells@aol.com

...very easy to germinate and need up to 1 month to sprout.
I ordered a packet of ten seeds. Upon arrival, I soaked the seeds for 24 hours and removed the husk. To my surprise four of the seeds had small roots already showing. One of the roots broke off during handling when I placed five seeds each in plastic bags containing moist peat moss. Within ten days all but one of the seeds had germinated and most had 2-3 inch spears coming up through the peat moss. the only seed that did not germinate is the one I broke the root off of, and the larger seedlings are greening up well. These were the easiest variety of palms I have ever germinated, among the 30 plus types I have growing.
Submitted on 02/08/2003 by one of our visitors


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

Plants from this species ...

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	• • • 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.

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Other selected books are available in our Book Shop