What's happening to my Ravanea rivularis?

[GREVILLE]

For the past two years I have only managed to achieve this stunted growth despite keeping it in the greenhouse for much of the summer in a dish of rainwater. As larger older leaves are finishing I'll soon be left with a dwarf plant.

There's plenty of root in the pot. Any ideas?

[Conifers]

Potbound? Try a bigger pot?

[GREVILLE]

Repotted eighteen months ago and plenty of room for more rooting.

Another view:

[Dave Brown]

Normally with palms, this minature growth is as a result of being too cold at some point. It is the growth I have had on my Nikau after it was defoliated by frost. That has finally started to grow normal size leaves after 3 years. Revenea needs to be above 4C to avoid damage. Another thing to beware of, is they don't like dry air, so even if in a dish of water the greenhouse is probably too dry for it.

My two have spent the summer as a marginal in the pond in dappled shade, and were brought in 2 weeks ago before we had cold temps.

Here's mine

[GREVILLE]

Thanks for the info, Dave.

It must have gotten too cold before I bought it nearly three years ago. No current pics as these were taken last April. The tiny spear I'm pointing at has opened but only to the size of the other leaves.

I have a raised soil bed running the full length of the greenhouse which is kept wet so I don't get too many dry air problems inside and it spent time outside in its dish while I was away last summer.

Kept well above 4c as it's spent time at the nearby school for the last couple of winters with its reservoir of rainwater regularly topped up.

So, based on the recovery of your Nikau, I might see some improvement next year?