(Tropical) Palms In Nepal?

[PalmTreeDude]

I have recently seen a show that was filmed in Southeastern Nepal and I saw a bunch of Coconut palms in it. I know Nepal has a lot of mountains but does Nepal have a good climate in its extreme southern areas? Here is the only zone map I could find with Nepal in it that also includes India. I don't know how accurate it is. 

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

Yea a trachycarpus or two are native to nepal. 

[Pal Meir]

According to Henderson (2009: 178-179) 15 species:

Calamus (6 spp), Daemonorops (1 sp), Phoenix (3 spp), Pinanga (1 sp), Plectocomia (1 sp), Trachycarpus (2 spp), Wallichia (1 sp)

[John in Andalucia]

Not forgetting Caryota 'Himalaya' - Caryota urens.

[Xerarch]

After a quick review on google earth, I see that Nepal does stretch into some lowlands just south of the Himalayas. Elevations 250-400 ft, latitude around 27 degrees with a huge mountain range to the north blocking arctic intrusions. Heck yes I can believe that tropicals would grow there. 

 

[Pal Meir]

28 minutes ago, John in Andalucia said:

Not forgetting Caryota 'Himalaya' - Caryota urens.

Caryota maxima is natural only up to Bhutan, not Nepal.

[bgl]

Chitwan National Park in southern Nepal (about a five hour car ride south of Kathmandu) is sub-tropical (and feels quite tropical), so lots of stuff grows there.

[Kim]

Bo and I visited Nepal in April 2013, first trekking in the mountains, then to the south to Chitwan National Park afterward. It was warm and steamy in Chitwan, but I don't remember seeing many palms. While out looking for animals in the bush, we did see what we took to be a Calamus sp. (see the bottom of page 1 of this thread: http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/36975-an-amazing-trip-to-nepal/&page=1 ).  At the hotel there were several cultivated species of palms and cycads that you might just as easily see in California or Florida, and most not native to the area.

Last October we visited Southern India -- Chennai, Madurai, Periyar National Park, and Kochi, but it was a quick run through and we did not have the time or facility to wander into the bush to look for Bentinckia condapanna. That part of the world is conducive to growing palms but it is the struggle with the wet and dry seasons -- too wet followed by too dry. It is a challenge for our palm fanatics in that part of the world. (for photos see this thread: http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/54899-a-visit-to-kris-garden-with-love/#comment-824267 )

[John in Andalucia]

9 hours ago, Pal Meir said:

Caryota maxima is natural only up to Bhutan, not Nepal.

I didn't state that it was native, but thanks for being a "champion of ambiguity". 

 

[frank_10b]

any interesting gardens nurseries to visit in Katmandu?  

 

palms or otherwise?

[spike]

29 minutes ago, frank_10b said:

any interesting gardens nurseries to visit in Katmandu?  

 

palms or otherwise?

Google maps street views shows that the "Garden of Dreams" there has quite a few, including 2 tall washingtonias. cool.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Garden+of+Dreams/@27.7141261,85.3135839,18z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x39eb19028855e08b:0xf52bbdfaf2a1ae6a!2sGarden+of+Dreams!8m2!3d27.7141261!4d85.3145041!10e1!3m4!1s0x39eb19028855e08b:0xf52bbdfaf2a1ae6a!8m2!3d27.7141261!4d85.3145041

Edited May 18, 2022 by spike

[Kim]

Gosh, not that I recall. We were focused on visiting historical sights and getting to Lukla and hiking, and when we returned it was a big farewell party as everyone went their separate ways. There may very well be interesting gardens and nurseries, but I'm afraid I'm no help.

[BeyondTheGarden]

Katmandu... if you like smog and trash.... otherwise get out of there, fly into Lukla, you have to hire a Sherpa to go on a trek in the Sagarmartha.  Not tropical but a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  The mountains, the tea-huts, the yaks and their drivers crossing those mountain suspension bridges.  

You can stop in Thamil and buy knock-off North Face, etc there for really cheap.  There is some great wood-fire pizza in that area too.  And I love the Nepali people, I found them honest and genuine and generally warm.  

[BeyondTheGarden]

@Kim that's a great thread/cool trip!  You got to do more travelling than I did, kinda jealous!  I'd love to go back someday.   How'd you like flying into Lukla?  The pilot had a newspaper in front of him blocking most of his view as we were watching mountain tops sail right past us left and right!  I came down with Giardia or dysentery up in Namche Bazaar.  We were headed to Gokyo but needless to say I didn't get that far! 

[Kim]

@Jesse PNW Flying into Lukla was something we looked forward to, and were not disappointed! The scenery was incredible, and of course we felt even better after landing safely.  I had digestive issues off and on the whole trip, but nothing serious; still managed to continue hiking. Definitely one of the most memorable trips of my life. It was a unique emotion, feeling like a tiny speck in the universe. 

[frank_10b]

 Well here is one in patan neighborhood of Kathmandu 

[Darold Petty]

No palm images, but my wife and I enjoyed a private, three week trek around Manaslu, over Larkee pass.  I did see Wallichia on that hike. 

[Kim]

2 hours ago, Darold Petty said:

No palm images, but my wife and I enjoyed a private, three week trek around Manaslu, over Larkee pass.  I did see Wallichia on that hike. 

Sounds amazing! And challenging. Did you get clear views of the peaks from the height of the pass?

 

[Darold Petty]

Yes, the trip of a lifetime, just my wife and I were the guests.  At that time financial involvement with locals was prohibited in order to preserve the local culture.  (Unlike the hippy teahouses all along the Anapurna Circuit).  Most of the locals at the higher elevations were refugees from Tibet.  Our trek service had to carry all the food for the whole three weeks,  We had a trek leader, the assistant trek leader, head cook, two assistant cooks, a government minder for rules enforcement, (paid for by us), and about 10 regular porters. 

Larkee pass, at 17,000 feet asl was great, a clear day, minor avalanches on the higher slopes, and the sky had a violet tinge, not blue.  We spent almost five weeks in Nepal.

 

 

[Kim]

@Darold Petty Sounds like a unique experience! Five weeks, and so immersive. When was this? I love the thought of a violet sky.

[Darold Petty]

Kim, we did this trip in year 2000.   During the trek we developed quite a good relationship with the trek leader.  After the trek, back in Katmandu we were invited to dinner at his home, and he gave us private tours of most of the tourist attractions.  The business was called Third Pole, I don't know if it is still around.  We booked directly with Third Pole and the cost was half  the price if one had booked through a USA intermediary.