Chusan Palm
Trachycarpus fortunei
Palm family (Arecaceae)
Certainly not afraid of the cold
In general palm trees are not hardy but this is one of the few species that can survive the cold season in temperate regions. In the wild this species grows in southern China, up to altitudes of 2,400 m where nighttime temperatures become cold.
The trunk of the windmill palm is covered with a thick layer of raw fibres formed by the remnants of the leaf sheaths. The palm can reach more than 10 m in height with a diameter of about 1 m. The characteristic positioning of the leaves gives it its name - the ‘fan palm’ in Dutch or ‘windmill palm’ in English.
In China the moisture-proof timber is used for housing and its tough fibres are used to make rope, baskets and mats.
Themes
Crown jewel in the Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam and Overzee Botanic Garden.
Raw material for ropes and cloth.
Young flower buds are edible.
Seeds are dispersed by birds.
The flowers and the seed are astringent and haemostatic that help prevent bleeding.
Details
Description: | Tree, palm up to 20 m, dioecious. |
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Distributions: | China, myanmar |
Habitat: | Montane oak forest up to 2400 m in altitude. |
Year cycle: | Perennial (trees and shrubs included) |
Hardiness: | 5 - 14 f (hardy - cold winter) |
Flowering period: | Juni - augustus |
Flower color: | Yellow, white, creme |
Notes on flowers: | Flowers cream to yellow. |
Sources
The New Royal Horticultural Society, Dictionary of Gardening,https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/details?plantid=1941,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trachycarpus_fortunei,
http://tuin-wiki.nl/palmen/trachycarpus/trachycarpus-fortunei