Chusan palm Seeds - Trachycarpus fortunei

The Chinese palm, or Trachycarpus fortunei, is a hardy palm (-18°), resistant even in regions where winters are harsher. Bought and started from seed, it will satisfy your desire for the exotic at a low cost.

Native to the mountainous areas of China and Japan, Trachycarpus fortunei has long been wrongly named Chamaerops excelsa. Also called Chusan palm or windmill palm, its first name refers to Chusan Island, where Robert Fortune, the Scottish botanist, first discovered this species before importing it into the United Kingdom. This palm has been cultivated for thousands of years in Japan and China for the thick fibre that covers its trunk. This fibre is widely used in rural life in Asia to make carpets, brooms, ropes, sacks, roofing, solid fencing panels, etc...

A slow-growing shrubby plant, the Chusan Palm, can reach 8 to 10 metres in height. The evergreen, dark green, fan-shaped foliage is composed of 30 to 40 elongated segments and measures 60 cm to 1 m in diameter. Their very regular and round appearance inspired its other common name, Windmill Palm. It produces 5 to 9 new leaves per year. The clustered flowers (called spadices) are golden yellow in male trees and creamy yellow in female trees. One plant of each sex is therefore required for seed production. The decorative seeds are the size of a small grape, shiny and are black with a blue sheen. It is not uncommon to see spontaneous seedlings at the foot of adult female plants. Closely resembling grass leaves, the young seedlings can be mistaken for weeds.

Easy to grow, Trachycarpus fortunei likes rich, light, moist or even wet soils in summer but waterlogged soils can kill it. It likes sun or partial shade and locations that are sheltered, especially from cold winds, and are best planted in a west-facing position.