Veitchia (Adonidia): Planting, Growing, and Care

Description and botany

The Veitchia is a palm tree belonging to the large Arecaceae family, which includes thousands of species, divided into 185 different genera. The Veitchia genus comprises about ten species native to the tropical rainforests of tropical Asia, particularly the Philippines, Malaysia, Borneo, and Oceania. Among them are Veitchia arecina, Veitchia filifera, and Adonidia merrillii, formerly called Veitchia merrillii, better known as the Manila palm or, more commonly, the Christmas palm. It is also nicknamed “Paul et Virginie palm” in reference to the children who grew up in harmony with nature amid the natural splendour of tropical landscapes. Veitchia merrillii has naturalised in the Caribbean. It is now classified in the Adonidia genus, of which it is currently the sole representative and the only one cultivated in our latitudes.

From its tropical origins, it has retained a very tender temperament that cannot tolerate our winters. This is why planting it directly in the ground in our gardens is not feasible. It needs warmth, light, and a humid atmosphere to thrive. In our climate, it should be grown in containers or large pots to place on the terrace in summer and shelter from frost in winter: it makes a very beautiful indoor palm.

In the wild, under tropical conditions, Adonidia merrillii can reach over 4.50 m in height, but in a pot, it will not exceed 2 m in any direction.

This is a single-stemmed palm characterised by a solitary stipe or false trunk. It slowly develops a long, very straight, slender, smooth, grey stipe, strongly ringed with prominent leaf scars. These rings represent the remnants of old petioles that have detached. The stipe is covered with a green leaf sheath. At the top of the stipe unfolds a cluster of large fern-like leaves. The crown consists of 12 to 15 large, beautiful, evergreen, arching fronds. Each leaf is divided into 40 to 62 lanceolate leaflets arranged regularly along the central vein. They can grow up to 2 m long and are gracefully curved towards the ground. Each is attached to the stipe by a short, glabrous petiole.

The foliage is an intense green, sometimes with slightly greyish tones.

Veitchia merrillii and Veitchia joannis (© Forest and Kim Starr)

Flowering occurs in summer, on mature specimens, after 10 to 11 years, and under favourable growing conditions. Veitchia merrillii, for example, is a monoecious species, meaning male and female flowers coexist on the same plant. The unisexual flowers, grouped in panicles beneath the crown, appear in the leaf axils. They take the form of white, arching, branched inflorescences 40-50 cm long, revealing numerous white-filamented stamens. English speakers commonly call it the “Christmas Palm” because it is during this season that the tree bears fruit. After fertilisation by insects, the female flowers produce ovoid fruits 1 to 2 cm long. These drupes, with a beak, ripen at the end of the year, displaying a bright red colour very decorative in winter. They contain a single seed.

Fruits of Veitchia merrillii

Main species and varieties

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Planting the Christmas Palm

Where to Plant It?

The Christmas palm cannot tolerate sub-zero temperatures. It will perish below 0°C. It is commonly found in tropical regions or in mild climates such as Florida, where it thrives easily. This is why it cannot be acclimatised to our gardens. It should be grown in a very large pot so it can be overwintered away from frost. It makes an excellent houseplant, as it can easily be grown indoors year-round. Its slow growth allows it to be kept in a pot without issue for many years.

It will make a striking addition to a conservatory, greenhouse, or a very bright, minimally heated room where temperatures range between 10 and 15°C. Avoid placing your pot behind a window or glass door: opt for a bright but filtered spot, sheltered from harsh sunlight. This tropical plant thrives in warm, humid environments. In the warmer months, as soon as outdoor temperatures allow, you can move it outside to a terrace or balcony from May to September. It will benefit from summer rains and sunshine. In a pot, it will look stunning by a poolside, adding an exotic and refreshing touch to any setting.

When to Plant the Christmas Palm?

We recommend planting your palm in spring, between April and June.

How to Plant It?

The Manila palm grows very well in pots, which can be placed outdoors in summer and brought inside to shelter from frost in winter. The substrate must be well-draining. It is often planted in groups of three in the same pot.

• Choose a large pot or container with drainage holes, with a capacity of 40 litres
• Place a 5 cm layer of drainage material at the bottom (clay pebbles or pumice)
• Partially fill the container with a mix of 25% heather soil, 50% light balcony and terrace compost or humus, and 25% sand
• Plant your palm without burying the collar
• Fill in around the root ball with the mix, firming it down well
• Water generously until the pot is saturated.

Indoors, place the pot away from direct sunlight. If you move it outdoors from May to September, acclimatise it to the sun gradually: start by placing it in partial shade, then slowly introduce it to full sun.

Veitchia merrillii plants

Care for a Potted Christmas Palm

In summer

The Veitchia merrillii is an easy-care plant. It requires a light, well-drained, rich substrate that remains consistently moist from spring through autumn. Water approximately once a week during the growth period without saturating the soil to prevent root rot.

From May to August, to maintain lush green fronds, apply a special palm fertiliser monthly with the watering.

In winter

From autumn onwards, once nighttime temperatures drop to 10°C, bring your palm indoors or into a greenhouse, ideally at 10-15°C. Place it in a bright location but away from direct sunlight. Reduce watering to once every two weeks, allowing the substrate to dry slightly between waterings. Stop fertilising. Veitchia palms dislike dry air: mist the foliage very regularly to maintain humidity and use this opportunity to wipe away dust with a sponge. This step is crucial for indoor palms, as indoor air is much drier than outdoors.

Repot every 2-3 years in spring into a slightly larger container, replacing all the substrate. Take this chance to fertilise by adding some crushed horn. Alternatively, you can simply top-dress annually with a 4 cm layer of fresh compost or potting mix.

Indoors, this palm may suffer from mealybugs, which leave small white cottony clusters on the leaves and can hinder healthy growth: remove them with cotton wool soaked in 90°C alcohol and apply regular oily sprays of rapeseed oil to suffocate them (1 litre warm water + 1 tbsp oil + 1 drop washing-up liquid).

Veitchia merrillii © Forest and Kim Starr

How to grow a Christmas palm shoot?

The Adonidia merrillii can only be propagated by sowing, but this process takes time. While the seeds may take 90 to 120 days to germinate, you’ll need to wait 3 to 4 years to obtain a viable and robust young plant. After cold stratification in the fridge, sow the seeds in a mix of 50% sowing soil and 50% sand. Keep the substrate moist but not waterlogged. Place in a heated greenhouse at 20–25°C, avoiding direct sunlight. Water with a fine spray. After 3 months, transplant the young plants into pots filled with compost. Water regularly. Gradually acclimatise them to sunlight during the warmer season.

Pair with

With its very elegant habit, Adonidia merrillii often stands perfectly on its own due to its strong personality.

In a pot on a terrace for an exotic setting, or in a contemporary garden, it pairs beautifully with Phormiums, Yuccas, Agaves, and Cordylines—plants with striking silhouettes and an equally exotic appeal.

Veitchia alongside an Agave parryi, a Yucca, a Cordyline ‘Torbay Dazzler’, and a Phormium tenax ‘Evening Glow’