Scientific name: Trachycarpus fortunei
Synonym: Chamaerops excelsa, Chamaerops fortunei
Family: ARECACEAE
Common names: “Chusan” “windmill palm” “Chinese windmill palm” “hemp palm”
“Nepalese fan palm”
Plant Type: Evergreen tree
Conditions:
Zone: 9-10
Light: Full sun – light dappled shade
Exposure: Sheltered from cold drying winds
Soil: Fertile, doesn’t like clay
Moisture: Evenly moist well drained
Aesthetic:
Plant Size: H70′ W 8′
Leaf and Stem shape: Stout, fibre-covered trunk bearing a terminal tuft of deeply divided, large fan-shaped, dark green leaves
Flower: Arching sprays of small, light yellow flowers
Pruning: Cut off old leaves after they turn brown with pole pruners or a pole saw
Maintenance: Medium, may need protection from winter cold
Landscape use: Tropical garden, architectural, container
Propagate: By seed
Pests & Disease: None in Victoria, can sometimes house rats in the nest
*Deer resistant
Comments: ~AGM winner, “They always look strange” , best in groups of 3, creates a tropical look
Cultivars: T. takii -hardier