Trachycarpus fortunei

Where it comes from

Trachycarpus fortunei is native to south-central China and northern Myanmar, where it grows in temperate mountain regions. It has been cultivated in East Asia for centuries and reached European gardens in the nineteenth century through plant collector Robert Fortune.

The species is widely grown beyond its native range and also grows wild in some mild parts of Europe.

How to care for it

• Light: Choose full sun or light shade. A bright, open position helps the palm grow a full crown.
• Soil: Use fertile, well-draining soil. In a pot, choose a mix that drains well and stays loose over time.
• Watering: Water deeply when the soil surface starts to dry. Check potted plants more often in warm or windy weather and let excess water drain away.
• Temperature: Established plants can tolerate approximately −15 to −10 °C in a sheltered, well-drained position. Insulate the roots of potted plants during prolonged severe frost.
• Humidity & wind: Normal outdoor humidity suits the palm. Shelter from persistent strong or drying wind helps keep the fan leaves intact.
• Feeding: Use a slow-release palm fertiliser while new fronds are growing, following the rate on the label. Plants growing in fertile ground usually need only a light feed.
• Containers: Use a deep, sturdy pot with clear drainage holes. Repot when roots fill the pot, it starts drying unevenly or the palm becomes unstable.
• Grooming: Remove fully brown fronds close to the trunk with clean tools and leave green fronds in place.
• Propagation: Grow the species from seed. Rooted shoots from the base can also be separated and potted.

Problems to watch for

• Fronds split or become ragged: Persistent wind is tearing the leaf segments. Give the crown more shelter.
• Lower fronds yellow while the soil remains wet: The roots are staying too wet and rot can follow. Let the soil dry more, improve drainage and cut away soft rotten tissue with a clean, disinfected tool.
• Brown spots spread across the fronds: Leaf spot may be developing. Remove badly affected foliage, water at soil level and keep air moving through the crown.
• Sticky residue, aphids or small brown scale insects appear: Check the leaf bases and undersides. Remove visible pests and use a treatment labelled for the pest, repeating it as directed on the label.
• Rows of holes, fibre dust or crown wilting appear: These signs can indicate palm moth damage in affected parts of Europe. Contact the local plant-health authority promptly and follow its instructions for infested material.

If you need help identifying a problem, send us clear photos of the whole plant and the affected area. Include the soil or potting mix around the roots.

Trachycarpus fortunei is non-toxic to cats and dogs

• This plant is non-toxic to cats and dogs.
• Its effects on people are unclear, so keep it away from young children who may chew it.
• Eating a large amount can still cause an upset stomach. Seek medical or veterinary advice if symptoms continue.

What does Trachycarpus fortunei mean, and who first published it?

Trachycarpus combines Greek trachys, meaning rough, with karpos, meaning fruit. The epithet fortunei honours Scottish plant collector Robert Fortune.

Hermann Wendland established the genus Trachycarpus in 1861 in Bulletin de la Société Botanique de France, volume 8, page 429.

William Jackson Hooker first described it as Chamaerops fortunei in 1860 in Botanical Magazine, volume 86, plate 5221. Hermann Wendland later placed it in Trachycarpus as Trachycarpus fortunei in 1861 in Bulletin de la Société Botanique de France, volume 8, page 429.