Pronunciation: tray-key-CAR-puhs PRIN-seps
Common Name: Stone Gate Palm
Trachycarpus princeps is one of the most sought after palms for California though rarely shows up for sale, at least locally. It is an extremely ornamental palm having nearly pure white undersides to the very stiff, neat leaves. It is also quite cold tolerant, reportedly, though testing its extreme limits rarely occurs in California.
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Appearance and Biology
- Habit: solitary with a crown of 10-15 stiff, fan leaves
- Height: 20' estimate
- Trunk: single; 6"-8" in diameter; usually covered with leaf bases and a dark brown, fibrous covering
- Crownshaft: none
- Spread: 10'
- Leaf Description: palmate; nearly circular (increasing with age- young palm leaves wedge-shaped); stiff with hardly and leaflet droop; dorsal surface bright green; ventral surface silvery; 6' long
- Petiole/Leaf bases: long and narrow; glaucous; very small teeth along margins; unspilt leaf bases
- Reproduction: dioecious
- Inflorescence:
- Fruit:
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 24F
- Drought Tolerance: low
- Dry Heat Tolerance: moderate
- Cool Tolerance: moderate
- Wind Tolerance: moderate
- Salt Tolerance: unknown
- Growth Rate: very slow
- Soil Preference: moist and well draining
- Light Requirement: partial to full sun
- Human Hazards: none
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: unknown
- Transplants?: unknown
- Indoor?: unknown
- Availability: very rare
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garden of Gary Levine, Escondido, southern California
from collection in northern California
Matt Bradford garden, southern California
leaf of northern California plant
