Pronunciation: tray-key-CAR-puss mar-tee-ANN-us
Common Name: Khasia Palm, Himalayan Windmill Palm
Trachycarpus martianus may not be as cold hardy as some of the other Trachycarpus, but it does seem to be more at home in a humid climate, such as Hawaii, than most of the other Trachycarpus. In California it grows pretty well in most mild-temperate climates, not doing well in the deserts nor the colder regions. Mature palms are quite ornamental with very symmetrical, half circular leaves divided evenly into very fine leaflets, smooth, pole-like trunks and show yellow-orange inflorescences.
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Appearance and Biology
- Habit: solitary with a crown of 10-20 palmate leaves
- Height: 20'
- Trunk: single; self cleaning though with a relatively short, petticoat of dead leaves for several feet of trunk; smooth with very fine, closely spaced rings; 6"-8" thick
- Crownshaft: none
- Spread: 6'-8'
- Leaf Description: palmate; finely divided into narrow leaflets about 1/2 length of leaf; semicircular; bright green; stiff (leaflets rarely have much droop at tips); 6'-7' long
- Petiole/Leaf bases: 3'-4' long; slightly drooping; narrow; scurf and very tiny, closely spaced teeth along petiole margins; light green; un-split leaf bases
- Reproduction: dioecious
- Inflorescence: 2'-3' long; highly branched; from within crown; often 3-6 inflorescences at a time; yellow-orange; flowers yellow to yellow-orange
- Fruit: 1/2"; spherical; bluish-black when ripe
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 20F, but juvenile plants much less cold hardy showing significant damage at 24F
- Drought Tolerance: moderate
- Dry Heat Tolerance: moderate
- Wind Tolerance: moderate to poor
- Salt Tolerance: low
- Growth Rate: very slow to slow
- Soil Preference: adaptable but prefers acidic soils
- Light Requirement: filtered light to full sun (inland prefers no full sun)
- Human Hazards: no significant ones
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: none
- Transplants?: can be but not nearly as tolerant as Trachycarpus fortunei or wagnerianus
- Indoor?: might do OK indoors
- Availability: rare but usually available at palm specialty nurseries
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