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Trachycarpus fortunei

Chinese windmill palm

AGM plants

AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:

  • Excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions
  • Available to buy
  • Of good constitution
  • Essentially stable in form & colour
  • Reasonably resistant to pests & diseases
Chinese windmill palm

© RHS 2001

44 suppliers RHS Plant Shop from £14.99

  • Other common names Chinese windmill palm
    Chusan palm

    hemp palm
    Nepalese fan palm
    windmill palm

    see more

  • Synonyms Chamaerops excelsa misapplied
    Chamaerops fortunei

  • Family Arecaceae

  • Genus Trachycarpus are dioecious evergreen palms with stout, solitary stems bearing rounded leaves palmately divided into linear segments, with pendulous panicles of small flowers followed on female plants by globose fruits

  • Details T. fortunei is a dioecious evergreen palm forming a small tree with a stout, fibre-covered trunk bearing a terminal tuft of deeply divided, fan-shaped dark green leaves to 1m in width, and large arching sprays of small, light yellow flowers

  • Plant range N Myanmar to C China

Characteristics

  • Foliage Evergreen

  • Habit Bushy

  • Hardiness

    Hardiness ratings

    All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

    • H1a - Under glass all year (>15C)
    • H1b - Can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
    • H1c - Can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
    • H2 - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
    • H3 - Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
    • H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
    • H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
    • H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
    • H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

    H5

Colour

Sunlight

  • Full Sun

  • Partial Shade

  • Aspect South-facing or West-facing or East-facing

  • Exposure Sheltered

Soil

  • Loam

    Loam

  • Chalk

    Chalk

  • Sand

    Sand

  • MoistureWell-drained

  • SoilLoam, Chalk, Sand

  • pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height Higher than 12 metres

  • Ultimate spread 1.5-2.5 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 20-50 years

How to grow

Cultivation Grow in any well-drained, fertile soil in full sun or lightly dappled shade. Needs protection from strong or cold drying winds and will need protection from hard winter frosts. Can also be grown as a conservatory or warm glasshouse specimen

Propagation Propagate by seed sown at not less than 25ºC

Suggested planting locations and garden types Drought Resistant Architectural City & Courtyard Gardens Mediterranean Climate Plants Patio & Container Plants

How to care

Pruning No pruning required

Pests Generally pest free

Diseases Generally disease free

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Trachycarpus fortunei

Chinese windmill palm

Buy from £14.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

Buy from £14.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

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