Plant Details

To us the most exquisite of the Trachycarpus clan, found nearly 200 years ago in a temple in southern Japan and known only from cultivation. The stiff, symmetric leaves, looking as if shorn carefully at the ends, are lightly edged in white indumentum and often have most attractive pale blue undersides. Because of the rigidity of the leaves, they never tatter in high winds. Their most unique feature and what makes them most easily recognized is the several years spent resembling a miniature palm, as from very early on their fronds become "adult" -- even when only 4" or 5" across. Can be kept dwarf for many years but in the ground, with adequate summer water, they grow even more quickly than typical chusan palms, actually doubling in size for several years. Our 10 year old plants are now approaching 12-15 ft in height. (A small tidbit: though an incorrect entry, a palm book years ago confused T. wagnerianus with T. takil when actually they have little in common.) Best in bright sun. About as frost hardy as T. fortunei but shows damage less easily, e.g. no tattering. Our seed is produced from our own isolated plants. Woohoo! These plants already at least 4 years old and producing adult fronds. Frost hardy to 0 °F, USDA zone 7.