Pronunciation: tray-key-CAR-puhs or-ee-oh-FILE-us
Common Name: Thai Mountain Fan Palm
Trachycarpus oreophilus is still a fairly rare palm for California, and many claims have been made that the palms growing here are NOT T. oreophilus but something else. For now we will assume these palms have been correctly identified as they do not appear to fit any other Trachycarpus for now and are nice looking palms. They are not among the hardier Trachycarpus, however. As the common name suggestions, these palms are native to Thailand.
|
Appearance and Biology
- Habit: solitary with a crown of 10-15 fan leaves
- Height: 20' estimate
- Trunk: 8"-10" diameter; dense, neat, light-brown fibrous weave; prominent rings once fiber wears off
- Crownshaft: none
- Spread: 8'
- Leaf Description: palmate; 3/4 circle; deeply divided to about 3/4 width of leaves; fairly stiff with minimal leaflet droop; deep green
- Petiole/Leaf bases: unspilt; unarmed; narrow; triangular in cross section; fine white hairs along sides and dorsal edges; bright green
- Reproduction: dioecious
- Inflorescence:
- Fruit: greenish; 1/4" long; ovoid
|
Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 26F
- Drought Tolerance: low
- Dry Heat Tolerance: low to moderate
- Cool Tolerance: moderate
- Wind Tolerance: moderate
- Salt Tolerance: unknown
- Growth Rate: slow
- Soil Preference: seems so far fairly adaptable, though sandy soils poor choice
- Light Requirement: partial to full sun
- Human Hazards: none
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: none so far
- Transplants?: unknown
- Indoor?: unknown
- Availability: very rare
|
maturing palm in Fallbrook, California, garden of Gary Wood
Fallbrook palm, on the left
young palm in San Fernando Valley, California
