Veitchia merrillii is the botanical name of the Manilla palm, the Adonidia, and the Christmas Palm. They are all the same, just different common names. It's a builder's palm throughout Palm Beach County; we must have 500 of them in our community alone.

Nice palm until they hit around 15' and then they tend to look a bit stringy. The nicest ones are planted as multiples - 3's, 5's, even 7's. They are highly susceptible to lethal yellows, although I've never seen one die from it in eleven years. Feed them well for best color and give them sufficient irrigation.

I planted a triple from HD 16 yrs ago. I let another seedling grow so now technically it is a quad. The red seeds are colorful but it seems every one that drops will root so if anyone want dozens of 6 inch palms, let me know.

They are self heading so you don't have to prune them.

Do some people call this the "Dwarf Royal"?

No. That's the Alexandra or King Alexander - Archontophoenix alexandrae.

it's a large pot (25 gallon) and it's doing really great.

I bought half price from a nursery and didn't think it was going to make it, but six months later, it is at least double the size and looks very healthy.

teeka

Yes, its the same but has a confusing name history. Decades ago it was Adonidia merillii then it was changed to Veitchia. It has recently been placed back into Adonidia, just as everybody had quit calling it that and Veitchia. Who knows, in 10 years it will be put back into Veitchia!

Eric
Orlando,FL

I live in Pinellas. I purchased these on sale at Lowes for $5 each. Is there any harm in planting them? I know they get the lethal yellowing disease. I am not worried about the $5 I spent, but I hope they will not spread any diseases to my cabbage palms or any other palms in my area.

Lethal Yellows is spread by a leaf hopper that lives in St. Augustine grass (another reason not to use it) called Mindus crudis. To the best of my knowledge it will not spread from palm to palm. Sabal Palms, what you call a Cabbage Palm, are not affected by the disease but are now being hit by another pest whose name I can't recall.

I concur. Our extention agent said the leaf hoppers didn't like hopping on mulched areas so I made sure my Christmas and Coconut palms are far away from what grass I have left. He also said if you took part of an infected palm, threw it in a blender and then injected the juice into a healthy palm, nothing would happen. Only the bug spreads the disease.
(DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME unless you have a Blend-o-matic from Saturday Nite Live)