Trachycarpus Wagnerianus

I picked up a 2-gallon Trachycarpus Wagnerianus from ebay from a guy in Georgia. It seems very difficult to find this plant in the United States...but they seem to be for sale all over the place in Europe.

I'm curious to see how it will do in a protected location at my home.

-PolarPalm

This is informatino about this palm from http://coolexotics.com/plant-432-trachycarpus-wagnerianus.html

Trachycarpus wagnerianus miniature Chusan palm, palmier miniature de Chusan

Trachycarpus wagnerianus is also known as miniature Chusan palm or sometimes simply "waggie". It is a species which is close to the famous Trachycarpus fortunei, the windmill palm. However, Trachycarpus wagnerianus has smaller and stiffer leaves. Unlike what its common name suggests, it is not miniature, as it can reach with age up to 30 ft. (10 m) This species is a slow grower, and is adapted both for containers or gardens. It is very cold hardy, and can withstand frosts down to about 5°F to 0°F. (-15°C to -18°C) This palm has small and very stiff palmate leaves, which are more rounded than these of Trachycarpus fortunei. Leaves are about 20 in (50 cm) wide. Inflorescences appear between the leaves. Flowers are small, dioecious and yellow. Fruits are not edible and are oblong in shape. They turn purple black when ripe. Trachycarpus wagnerianus requiert les expositions suivantes : mi-ombre,lumière These palms need a well-drained but fairly moist soil.

Trachycarpus Fortunei Seeds Anyone?

Here are some Trachycarpus Fortunei seeds that I collected in June, 2009 from the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I planted a whole bunch of them in the blue tubs (see earlier post) and they came up and are doing quite well. However, I hate to see these seeds go to waste. They have been meticulously cleaned of the fruit and are ready for planting.

Happy Gardening!
-PolarPalm

Palms Wintering Indoors (and some outdoors)

I've included some photographs that I just took of some of the palms I've got growing here. I am going to plant the cold-hardy ones outside in the spring. The not-so-cold-hardy ones will remain in pots and come inside to grace the house in the winter.

The palms in the blue tubs are Trachycarpus Fortunei. The seeds were collected in June, 2009 on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. They will remain outside growing in the blue tubs for the duration of the winter with no more protection than the cover during extended periods of freezing weather.

The other palms pictured that will be planted outside include a large Sabal Palm var. Louisiana, Sabal Minor var. Talladega, AL, Sabal Minor var. Cape Hatteras, Rhapidophyllum hystrix (Needle Palm), three Trachycarpus Fortunei (grown from seed and obtained, allegedly, from a tree that had set seed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania), and a Sabal Birmingham.

I'd LOVE to plant the Mexican Fan Palm (Washingtonia robusta) outside...but it would take a great deal of protection to keep it going through our extended cold temperatures. We'll see - maybe I'll try it out.

Some of the other plants you can see include a Brugmansia, Phoenix roebelenii (Pygmy Date Palm), Philodendron bipinnatifidum (Tree Philodendron), Key Lime, Ensete ventricosum (Red Abyssinian Banana, Dwarf Cavendish Banana, Musa Basjoo, another taller red/green variegated banana plant of which I am unsure of the variety, a rubber tree, a few sago palms, a few Chinese Fan Palms, and some other assorted plants.

Happy Gardening!
-PolarPalm

Trachycarpus Fortunei On the Outer Banks, North Carolina

I went to the Outer Banks of North Carolina in June, 2009. Along the way I noticed this Trachycarpus Fortunei growing by a gas station that I stopped at.

There were beautiful Trachycarpus Fortunei, Butia capitata, Sabal Minor growing all over the place. There were a large number of Sabal Palms growing also...but they looked highly damaged by the wind and cold of winter.

I found a whole stalk of seeds attached to one Trachycarpus Fortunei and claimed it as my own. There were several hundred seeds on it. I soaked and cleaned the fruit off of each seed. Then I planted about half of the seeds in blue plastic storage bins. To prepare the bins I drilled several small drainage holes in the bottom of each tub and filled them about 1/2 full of potting soil. The seeds have since sprouted and are doing well. I have the bin covers on them right now as they are living outside...but the seedlings are all looking healthy. I'll get some pictures of them and post them soon. -PolarPalm

Dreaming in the Cold of January

It's the dead of winter (or at least it feels like it is) and I have summer on the brain. These pictures were taken on May 18, 2009 of Musa Basjoo, Sabal Minor, and Trachycarpus Fortunei growing outside of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. Washington D.C. is technically in USDA zone 7 though it is highly likely that it is a bit warmer due to the heat-sink effect of the concrete surrounding this building in the heart of the city. -PolarPalm

Trachycarpus Fortunei Braving the Winter Outdoors

I've kept a Trachycarpus Fortunei on the front porch. It's a bit warmer there than out in the open yard since it is sited next to the house and is on a covered porch. I also have placed a string of C9 lights on the dirt around the base of the tree and covered the pot with some blankets to prevent the soil and roots from freezing.

It's been cold this winter and has gotten down into the teens several times. So far no problems.

PolarPalm