Trachycarpus Species

[ahosey01]

Can anyone offer insight into an appropriate trachycarpus species?

I have a spot in my yard that would be nice for one.  Soil is on the heavy side in that part of the yard, but is good.  Marginally acidic.  Sun is direct until 10AM in the summer, then filtered and shaded the rest of the day.  Wind is almost nonexistent, and especially down there, which is sheltered by large, mature mesquite trees.

Its the coldest part of the yard.  Morning lows will hit 25F with regularity there, and we’ll see 17F once a decade or so, albeit brief until the sun crests.  Daytime winter highs are 70+ typically.  Summer is obviously a bear with 110+ over 40 days this year, but that part of the yard cools off 40 or more degrees every evening.  It can’t  be anything I need to protect.

I have a Japanese Black Pine growing in this spot of the yard.  So keeping the temperate East Asian thing going seems like a good idea.

Thanks!!

Edited January 7, 2021 by ahosey01

[Fallen Munk]

Bulgaria.

[Allen]

Searching Wickenburg, AZ on google comes back as plant zone 9a.  But it looks like several plant zones are nearby.  What is your plant zone?

Edited January 7, 2021 by Allen

[ahosey01]

1 hour ago, Allen said:

Searching Wickenburg, AZ on google comes back as plant zone 9a.  But it looks like several plant zones are nearby.  What is your plant zone?

It's kind of hard to say.

We're within like 6-11 degrees of record lows almost every night.  Strictly speaking it's a 9A in terms of lows.  Low so far this year has been 24F.  50-year low has been 17F.  But we have consistent 40-degree temp swings in summer and 50+ temp swings in winter, so highs in winter at my house are higher even than Phoenix or San Diego.

For what it's worth, it's a super dry cold and it only ever lasts an hour or two.  I have a Bismarckia that didn't flinch or even experience tip burn on any of the four or five 24F mornings we've had this year.

It's fair to expect the coldest winter days to be like 22F/65F, and the warmest summer days to be like 75F/115F.

Edited January 7, 2021 by ahosey01

[Allen]

1 minute ago, ahosey01 said:

It's kind of hard to say.

We're within like 6-11 degrees of record lows almost every night.  Strictly speaking it's a 9A in terms of lows.  Low so far this year has been 24F.  50-year low has been 17F.  But we have consistent 40-degree temp swings in summer and 50+ temp swings in winter, so highs in winter are higher even than Phoenix or San Diego.

For what it's worth, it's a super dry cold and it only ever lasts an hour or two.  I have a Bismarckia that didn't flinch on any of the four or five 24F mornings we've had this year.

You can probably grow any Trachy variety then.   You are pretty warm there.  You can grown many other desirable palms like a mule.

[ahosey01]

Just now, Allen said:

You can probably grow any Trachy variety then.   You are pretty warm there.  You can grown many other desirable palms like a mule.

No doubt on low temps.  My bigger concern is just soil composition, lighting, summer heat and lack of humidity.  And I'd like a species that's a real looker but I just don't know the genus well enough not to solicit advice from fellow PTers.

[Chester B]

A lot of people in California seem to have luck with Princeps in the heat and dry air.  It does seem to be more heat and sun tolerant than regular fortunei, I planted mine in the hottest spot and it did very well.  Never mind it's one of the nicer looking Trachys out there.

[Palm D]

Likely be able to grow any Trachy, I would then choose one you really like and one depending on what you want for eventual height etc as not all Trachycarpus grow the same.  If you want a sure thing, just go with a fortunei, if you want something a little more exotic go with a Takil maybe?