annafl,

You'll be rewarded with 2 very pretty palms if you can get them to make it. Never heard of this one until I saw your post. Looked at some pictures on the internet...they're gorgeous plants!

Maybe your drainage is too good. Has the soil around them ever gotten completely dry? These palms are very tropical, not at all tolerant of cold, and used to very humid, damp enviroments. Have you tried misting them?

Just my thoughts based on what I found on the internet.

Here is a link that might be useful: Areca vestiaria info

The Jungle Music site from So Cal lists this palm as "marginal" in generally frost-free areas of coastal CA. It should be fine in So FL providing there are no frosts at your place, its thought to be hardy only to the freezing mark. I have a couple of them in my greenhouse, they have done fine but are still babes. The largest was a trade, it is about 2 feet tall.

Anna - I bought one 2 weeks ago in a 15 gallon can from a wholesale nursery who is supplying them on a limited basis to HD. From what I've read, they want lots of organic material, considerable water until established, and no direct sunlight (the nursery was growing them in 50% shade).

Mine is in a terra cotta pot on the patio and it's around 5' tall. By the way, HD was selling them for only $10 more than I paid wholesale!

Fawnridge-

That nursery in Del Ray seems to be supplying them in huge quantities! Almost every single HD all the way up here in Tampa Bay is carrying them! $69 a pop.

Maybe I need to pay a little more attention to them and water a bit more. Also, maybe they get a little more light than they like in the middle of the summer. Don't know. I'll keep trying and hope we have another winter without freezing temps. Thank-you.

They are just slow. I have several and they are far from fast growers.Mine have put out about three fronds in one year.

I would also suggest spraying them with a fungiside a few times a year.