Unless you are on a foggy coastline, this is not a palm for full sun. It should do very well in N. OC with partial shade, unless you are in a scorching inland area. Eventual height is 15-20 ft. and these are suckering palms, producing multiple bamboo-like trunks, golden in color. I would call them a moderate grower -- not as fast as kings and queens, but appreciable growth with abundant new leaves each year. Not fussy, but they do like water and fertilizer in spring and summer. I give mine some blood meal then too. I would not describe the root system as invasive.

For a small space in full sun, consider Chamaedorea plumosa, best planted in groups of 3 or more. For a single, compact palm with interesting form, perhaps a spindle palm, Hyophorbe lagenacaulis, as long as your microclimate does not include temperatures below 30F. If you don't mind a fan palm, Coccothrinax argentea will take full sun and grow slowly to 15-20 ft. You could also use the commonly available Phoenix roebellenii (pygmy date palm), but I would avoid them in a tight space because of the very vicious spines, which only become more and more wicked as the palm grows.

Good luck with your palms, and Happy New Year!

No palm has a truly invasive root system; like grasses, they are monocots: no secondary growth (no woody roots that will expand with age to lift concrete or crack foundations). You do have to watch out for palms with very large diameter trunks (Canary Island Date Palm, Chilean Wine Palm) and for very aggressively suckering palms (Mediterranean Fan Palm) to ensure that the base won't eventually impinge on curbs, sidewalks and (to a limited extent) foundations. The Areca palm shouldn't be an issue in either regard - it would probably push itself sideways before it lifted, cracked or pushed aside a 3 1/2 thick concrete sidewalk (unless it was a very large, very old clump that had been neglected for many years).

We have had two in large pots for years in San Gabriel Valley. The biggest is probably about 12' tall. We have repotted a couple times over the years. Our yard is mostly shady. We are not especially diligent about their care--occasional feeding and watering does the trick. DH fell in love with them in Hawaii, so now we have them as a souvenir.

I just put some of these in a planter near my pool. I'm in coastal S. Cal, so my partly shaded, mostly cool, foggy mornings should not be a problem. I put them in because I want some privacy around 6-12 feet or so (they aren't that tall yet). I'm just a bit worried because I'm afraid they might get out of control as they get older, any opinions. I also have kentias, phoenix robellini, king, queens but I was attracted to the potential fullness of these guys. any opinions? Any suggestions to keep them manageable?

You can thin out the larger stocks and leave the size stalks you like.

Its worth a try in the bay area. I had one for a few years and it survived winters in a 10" pot. In ground it might have done even better.

I know back before 2000 it would have been a sacrifice to bay area winters...not true now.