Trachycarpus fortunei (120-140)
Stem (20-30)
5TRFOR041
A strong, hardy plant that evokes the Mediterranean feeling with its lush leaves: that's the Trachycarpus fortunei! This palm has excellent resistance to colder temperatures, making it a popular plant for indoor and outdoor planting. This blog tells you how to take care of the Trachycarpus fortunei.
Origin
Trachycarpus fortunei is also known as the Chinese Windmill palm or Chusan palm and belongs to the palm family Arecaceae. Palms are often associated with tropical or Mediterranean regions, but Trachycarpus originally grows in the cold heights of the Himalayas and in mountainous regions in China, Japan and Myanmar. This makes the palm resistant to somewhat colder temperatures. The Windmill palm is therefore not only known for its fan-shaped leaf, but also for being super strong and hardy.
Care
Location
The Trachycarpus can be placed both indoors and outdoors, as long as it gets enough sunlight. Outdoors, this plant does well in full sun, although the palm does not necessarily need direct sunlight all day to grow well. Do not place the Chusan palm where it gets a lot of wind; wind causes the leaves to die off more quickly. Next to a wall or fence is therefore the best place. Indoors, Trachycarpus fortunei needs at least five hours of direct sunlight a day. Preferably place the palm near a south-facing window.
When choosing a location it is important to consider where the palm has been before. If it has been in the shade for a long time, it is better to let the Trachycarpus get used to sunlight by moving it to progressively sunnier locations. A too rapid transition to sunlight can temporarily cause yellow leaves. New leaves produced by the plant are more resistant to direct sunlight.
Watering
The amount of water Trachycarpus needs depends very much on the weather and the location. The palm needs more water in the warm summer months than in winter. For an outdoor location it is important to keep the root ball moist in summer. It's fine to get it soaking wet when watering. If the plant is in a planter, make sure there are good drainage holes at the bottom so that excess water can drain away.
During the colder months, the soil should be slightly moist and not too wet, as this can cause root rot. In cold periods Trachycarpus goes into dormancy and the palm hardly grows at all. However, avoid letting the soil dry out completely; this causes yellow and dry leaves. If the Windmill palm is placed inside, it is important to keep a close eye on the humidity of the soil by feeling it regularly. In summer, the soil can be quite moist, but the roots should not be left in a layer of water. This causes root rot in Trachycarpus.
Spraying
To make the leaves dust-free so they can absorb more light, it can be a good idea to spray the Trachycarpus regularly. Do this outside the bright hours of sunlight, because water droplets left behind might burn into the leaves and damage the plant.
Temperature
The Trachycarpus is used to cold climates and is therefore hardy to temperatures of -17 °C. However, it is important to protect the plant at temperatures below -10 °C. In many climates the palm can therefore be placed outside all year round.
Pruning
Trachycarpus is a palm whose oldest, lowest leaves become dry over time. These can be cut off at the trunk. The Chinese Windmill palm produces its trunk from the stubs of old leaves. Leaves that have developed dry edges or become unsightly can be trimmed. The trunk of the Trachycarpus cannot be pruned, or the palm will die.
Nutrition
To ensure optimum growth and health of your Trachycarpus fortunei you can feed the plant. During the growing season (spring and summer) give a special palm food or a general liquid plant food once a month. Look for the right quantities on the packaging. During the winter months you should not feed the palm.