Adelaide generally has very low relative humidity which means rainforest palms (and other tropicals) tend to burn more easily in direct sun. Although Alexanders are emergent plants and eventually grow through the forest canopy, that takes quite a few years and is a gradual process in consistently relatively high humidity. In that position yours looks like it will get a real baking during summer. With all that concrete, bitumen and bare ground it's going to be pretty intense when your temperatures get around 40 and over, especially with it open to the west.

Although they're not "feather palms", some of the Livistona species would be a better pick for that type of situation.

Thank you both for that info. Yes it is dry here. We are only in mid Spring, so they'll prob fry in summer What a shame. I know there are Alexandras growing here that have done okay -- probably looked after/introduced better. I'll keep the water on them and try some shade cloth. If I loose them I'll try a Livistona type then

Some of what you see might be the close relative of the Alexanders, Bangalow Palm - Archontophoenix cunninghamiana. They're native right down into southern NSW not far from the Victorian border. They would probably do a lot better than the Alexanders but they still need a lot of water and some protection from extreme baking conditions. If you have a look around the Botanic gardens in Adelaide you might get some more ideas from there of what will grow well. You could also try some Cycads which are palm like but generally much tougher than palms. They have a great collection of Cycads in the Botanic Gardens.

I've been eyeing off a number of cycads in my neighbourhood - they are great looking plants! I peered over into the canopy of one today and was shocked to see what looked like an alien brain with potatoes growing in it -- awesome! Thanks

Probably Cycas revoluta, they're one of the most common ones. They have separate male and female plants and produce cones rather than flowers. The seeds are quite large. They are fairly slow growing. Most Cycas are tropical plants but cope reasonably well in colder areas. They don't like it too wet and cold at the same time. Macrozamias would be well suited to your area. M. fraseri, M. moorei and M. macdonnelli should be good but they're not so commonly seen in nurseries..

They are more tender palms for a climate like Adeliade. Bangalows would be the better choice. It also looks bone dry there..the whole Archontophoenix family are water worshipers. Its also natural from young palms to grow from shade to full sun..full sun on small palms is hard.

In California we never plant anything that only gets winter rains! I'm still surprised when I read in other country's,hose watering is rare.

They are absolutely sunburned. Here in Los Angeles I have over 15 planted and some of them got really burned at first, but they grow fast and now they are beautiful. Do give them a lot of water, they love drenches and they will be greener, lusher and grow faster with adequate water.

thank you! i went to a local nursery on the weekend. a guy there "with 40years nursery experience" looked at my pics. He said it isn't sunburn - just dehydration. Told me to give five buckets of H20 every two weeks, trim off dead crispy bits ("useless and ugly" and don't bother with shade cloth.

i trimmed last Sunday and gave them a lovely drink but they're getting worse More crispy bits and middle emerging fronds not looking good

Here's the one on the (west) verandah almost a week later. Will that emerging frond survive?

Worst one in the garden bed

^what were crispy edge bits (now cut off) moving into centre

Oh dear, i'm very worried.

BTW we do have Alexander palms in ADL. They just don't look as great as they should/do up north (tropical Darwin or Queensland). I spoke to a lady who had Bangalows and Alexanders. they were great specimens. She said she liked the Bangalows best coz they weren't as messy.

So i think i need to water each with five buckets but twice a week!?? NOT fortnightly. Sound ok? What do you think of using shade cloth? Probably too late. It's 35C today

thank you for your replies As a newbie try-hard I really appreciate it. I've always dreamed of having palms for my 'Hotel California' (I'll 'check out but never leave'). We just built. I've been reading as much as I can. my mum was an awesome gardener - shame she's gone and can't help me ☺️

I'm near Darwin and have 4 large Alexanders which don't have an easy time here. This year average maximum temps for September were 35.5, for October 36.0, and so far for November 36.1 but relatively humidity is mostly higher here than in Adelaide, especially for the higher temps. The Alexanders that get the most water look better but even so they don't look anywhere as good as they do over on the east coast. And the ones that I've actually lost were in more exposed areas with the sun on the ground around them.

That's interesting!

They are sunburned. You are going to have to wait for new, acclimated fronds. Also, water every 2 weeks is not nearly enough. Mine get watered every 4 days.

Thank you for your thoughts and information peeps, really helpful ☀️

A quick update as a thank you to the kind peeps who helped me out. It's been three months and we're in the height of summer. I've kept the water up and they will survive

THEN AND NOW OF WORST

THEN AND NOW (planted this one not long after my first post)