Difference between revisions of "Trachycarpus fortunei"

Geoff Stein - Author & Editor
 
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'''Common Name''': Chinese Windmill Palm, Chusan Palm
 
'''Common Name''': Chinese Windmill Palm, Chusan Palm
 
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'''''Trachycarpus fortunei''''' is one of the most commonly sold and grown palms in the US, including southern California.  It is arguably the most cold hardy of the trunking palms.  It is so often used in public landscaping, and then ignored, many call this 'Trashycarpus'... but a well watered, well grown palm can be a magnificent specimen.   
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'''''Trachycarpus fortunei''''' is one of the most commonly sold and grown palms in the US, including southern California.  It is arguably the most cold hardy of the trunking palms.  It is so often used in public landscaping, and then ignored, many call this 'Trashycarpus'... but a well watered, well grown palm can be a magnificent specimen.  Some consider ''Trachycarpus wagnerianus'' to be the same species, just a stiffer-leaved form.
 
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File:Trachycarpus forsterianas tall on Chandler.jpg|San Fernando valley, California
 
File:Trachycarpus forsterianas tall on Chandler.jpg|San Fernando valley, California
 
File:Trachycarpus tall Pasadena.jpg|Pasadena
 
File:Trachycarpus tall Pasadena.jpg|Pasadena
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File:Trachycarpus fortuneis below Jubaeas LL 14.jpg|Lotusland palms, Santa Barbara, California
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File:Trachycarpus Jim trio.jpg|mature palms in northern California, garden of Jim Denz
 
File:Trachycarpus Studio City.jpg|San Fernando valley, California
 
File:Trachycarpus Studio City.jpg|San Fernando valley, California
 
File:Trachycarpus without fuzz Encino.jpg|cleaned trunks on Los Angeles palms
 
File:Trachycarpus without fuzz Encino.jpg|cleaned trunks on Los Angeles palms

Latest revision as of 21:00, 2 November 2016

Pronunciation: tray-kee-CAR-puss for-TOON-ee-eye


Common Name: Chinese Windmill Palm, Chusan Palm

Trachycarpus fortunei is one of the most commonly sold and grown palms in the US, including southern California. It is arguably the most cold hardy of the trunking palms. It is so often used in public landscaping, and then ignored, many call this 'Trashycarpus'... but a well watered, well grown palm can be a magnificent specimen. Some consider Trachycarpus wagnerianus to be the same species, just a stiffer-leaved form.

Appearance and Biology
  • Habit: solitary with a crown of 20-30 leaves
  • Height: 35'
  • Trunk: single, covered with fiber and retained leag bases; sometimes a dense skirt of dead leaves though rarely its entire height; can be trimmed to a clean look; 6" thick
  • Crownshaft: none
  • Spread: 5'
  • Leaf Description: palmate; deeply divided and symmetrical with about 50 leaflets; leaflet ends often split; stiff with leaf droop in mature palms, but less so in immature palms up to about 15'; deep, dark green; 3' long
  • Petiole/Leaf bases: 1.5' long and 1/2" wide; flat on top, curved on bottom; both sides smooth; margins 'armed' with relatively dull, tiny, closely spaced teeth; stiff with minor amount of droop; leaf bases unsplit
  • Reproduction: dioecious
  • Inflorescence: 12"-16" long, multibranched, stiff and arising within crown; yellow flowers, fragrant
  • Fruit: 1/2" spherical and pale blue-green to blackish-blue when ripe
  • Seed:
Horticultural Characteristics
  • Minimum Temp: 5F
  • Drought Tolerance: moderate
  • Dry Heat Tolerance: moderate
  • Wind Tolerance: good
  • Salt Tolerance: low
  • Growth Rate: moderate
  • Soil Preference: very adaptable to all sorts of soil types
  • Light Requirement: full to partial sun (filtered in desert OK)
  • Human Hazards: none
  • Disease or Horticultural Problems: few in California
  • Transplants?: good
  • Indoor?: possible, but struggles with low light
  • Availability: extremely commonly available


  • Los Angeles

  • Los Angeles arboretum

  • Los Angeles

  • Los Angeles

  • San Fernando valley, California

  • Pasadena

  • Lotusland palms, Santa Barbara, California

  • mature palms in northern California, garden of Jim Denz

  • San Fernando valley, California

  • cleaned trunks on Los Angeles palms

  • Santa Barbara, California

  • narrow trunk from desiccation

  • Palm Desert, California in partial shade

  • grown in too little light- spindly

  • young palm

  • maturing but still young palm, Los Angeles arboretum

  • full skirted palm, Los Angeles arboretum

  • Los Angeles arboretum

  • leaf shot

  • immature or unfertilized fruit

  • fertile fruit, unripe

  • fertile fruit

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