Question
Hi Nick,

I live in the Bay Area of Northern California, and I'd like to purchase and pot a palm for my front porch.  The palm's fronds will get tons of south-western light, but the pot will always be in the shade, due to porch's solid side-walls and our home's orientation.  Can you recommend a palm that won't grow taller than 12 ft tall (porch is covered), and will tolerate all that sun, while being in a pot?  Is there such a thing?

Thanks for your help,
Carol

Answer
Hi Carol, I would go with an Areca Palm, it is the most forgiving of palms and will do just fine in a large container on your porch; the container will limit the size of its growth also, for outside in the ground they can grow much larger then 12 feet. Nick