I have a spot which gets about 4 to maybe 5 hours of direct sun. The location can accommodate a tree of width 4 feet tops. Today I saw an established "Orangeola" which is a little over 2 feet in width (and 3 feet in height). I see that this particular variety can get quite large (wide). I am not sure how vigorous a grower it is but does it make sense to trim and shape it to stay within the space I describe or should I just look for another tree?
It is quite vigorous, esp for a dissectum, but tends to "weep over" with long fronds, and so I don't think it will put on more than a couple of inches of width each year, which could probably be controlled. I've managed to get one from a 1 year graft to the size you describe in only a few years in the ground, with a lot of staking. It's a great tree, but given the space constraints, over the long term maybe a less vigorous dissectum would be a better idea... -E
Thanks emery for the information but "Orangeola" is no longer part of the picture. I picked up an "Inaba Shidare" this morning. Take a look: http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=79375
