Growing tips for Trachycarpus nanus?

[Joe NC]

@frienduvafrond was kind enough to gift me a bunch of neat palms and cycads. One plant that I want to be sure to find a perfect spot for is a 20 year old potted Trachycarpus nanus. No trunk(Obviously)and still pretty small.

I have reasonably good luck with Trachycarpus (except pure principes which inevitably rot at the roots).

Anyone have tips or warnings for nanus?

Sun vs shade.  Good drainage? Etc.

Any help is much appreciated.

[Chester B]

As far as I know treat them like a regular fortunei.  I haven’t seen or heard anyone state otherwise. For the record I have not grown them but I have seen them in person. 

[Las Palmas Norte]

9 hours ago, Joe NC said:

 ...(except pure principes which inevitably rot at the roots). ...

Is that a known confident assumption, or your own personal continuing misfortune? I'd like to know more since I'm in possession of Trachycarpus princeps.

[Las Palmas Norte]

I'll have to go thru an old journal on T. nanus from EPS 24 years ago.

 

[Joe NC]

9 hours ago, Las Palmas Norte said:

Is that a known confident assumption, or your own personal continuing misfortune? I'd like to know more since I'm in possession of Trachycarpus princeps.

My own misfortune.  I've killed at least 3?  Same thing happens.  They have some lower stem funk where the spear just blasts out the side of the "trunk" and the roots rot.  I'll probably try again...

[RFun]

18 hours ago, Joe NC said:

@frienduvafrond was kind enough to gift me a bunch of neat palms and cycads. One plant that I want to be sure to find a perfect spot for is a 20 year old potted Trachycarpus nanus. No trunk(Obviously)and still pretty small.

I have reasonably good luck with Trachycarpus (except pure principes which inevitably rot at the roots).

Anyone have tips or warnings for nanus?

Sun vs shade.  Good drainage? Etc.

Any help is much appreciated.

Amazingly adaptable specimens.  I believe they do best in soil that will occasionally flood (think river/creek plains).  They will do best in sunny locations that do not see regular highs around 95-100F.  They can take some drought, but they will need supplemental water in these locations to be at their best.  Not common in South Florida due to the heat factor.  They are more like peaches in that they prefer some chill during the year.  7b to 9b would be your general guide for hardiness.

It's pretty hard to go wrong with a Trachy.  In it's more challenging locations, you just need to give it a little maintenance.

[Las Palmas Norte]

11 minutes ago, Joe NC said:

My own misfortune.  I've killed at least 3?  Same thing happens.  They have some lower stem funk where the spear just blasts out the side of the "trunk" and the roots rot.  I'll probably try again...

I've seen that same issue countless times with seedling T. fortunei. In fact I just saw that same thing with a Sabal sp. I've never noticed "rot" but a continued struggle to grow.

[RFun]

1 minute ago, RFun said:

Amazingly adaptable specimens.  I believe they do best in soil that will occasionally flood (think river/creek plains).  They will do best in sunny locations that do not see regular highs around 95-100F.  They can take some drought, but they will need supplemental water in these locations to be at their best.  Not common in South Florida due to the heat factor.  They are more like peaches in that they prefer some chill during the year.  7b to 9b would be your general guide for hardiness.

It's pretty hard to go wrong with a Trachy.  In it's more challenging locations, you just need to give it a little maintenance.

So anyway, when you think of Trachy nanus, you are basically thinking of the Trachy prototypes, in general.

[RFun]

3 minutes ago, Las Palmas Norte said:

I've seen that same issue countless times with seedling T. fortunei. In fact I just saw that same thing with a Sabal sp. I've never noticed "rot" but a continued struggle to grow.

Sounds like an issue with the soil.

[RFun]

18 minutes ago, Joe NC said:

My own misfortune.  I've killed at least 3?  Same thing happens.  They have some lower stem funk where the spear just blasts out the side of the "trunk" and the roots rot.  I'll probably try again...

I'm guessing you have soil issue there that is specific to that specific area that you are dealing with.

[RFun]

21 minutes ago, Joe NC said:

My own misfortune.  I've killed at least 3?  Same thing happens.  They have some lower stem funk where the spear just blasts out the side of the "trunk" and the roots rot.  I'll probably try again...

If these were planted from pots, I'm guessing the soil they had in those pots were of low quality to begin with.

[Las Palmas Norte]

7 minutes ago, RFun said:

Sounds like an issue with the soil.

My encounters have all been with potted seedlings in a Pro-Mix growing medium. There might be 2 in a 1,000 starters that are affected.

[RFun]

3 minutes ago, Las Palmas Norte said:

My encounters have all been with potted seedlings in a Pro-Mix growing medium. There might be 2 in a 1,000 starters that are affected.

2 in 1,000?  Lol, definitely sounds like a Trachy.

[Joe NC]

13 hours ago, Las Palmas Norte said:

I'll have to go thru an old journal on T. nanus from EPS 24 years ago.

 

I found the article online, was an interesting read.

[Benjamin D.]

I have been growing 3 seedlings in the ground since spring 2022 in North Texas. They are protected by an east wall, in full to part shade (Vitex). The two in shadier conditions seem to be fuller. Soil is amended clay. They have made it through 2 very harsh summers, with fairly regular supplemental (hand) watering. They have also survived some harsh winters, with temps in the low teens, but I protected by mounding compost around them and laying frost cloth. They get granular palm fertilizer.

[Alberto]

On 7/22/2024 at 4:36 PM, Joe NC said:

I found the article online, was an interesting read.

Unfortunately it's difficult to read....

[Joe NC]

16 minutes ago, Alberto said:

Unfortunately it's difficult to read....

http://www.palmsociety.org/members/english/chamaerops/035/035_14.shtml

[Las Palmas Norte]

On 7/22/2024 at 12:36 PM, Joe NC said:

I found the article online, was an interesting read.

I had no idea those where available on-line. Glad you found it.