Trachycarpus princeps and T.princeps-green (Nova)

[garrytsen]

Here is a comparison between T.princeps and T.princeps-green(Nova)

Leave Color: T.princeps is a bluish palm and nova is a dark green one different from the gray green of T.fortunei.

Roots: T.princeps has very deep roots and 1 year old seedling could develop over 20cm long roots whereas nova spreads its ambient roots more evenly .

Leaves: T.princeps seedlings of 1 year old have quite slim strap leaves of less than 20cm long,normally 15cm similar to T.fortunei and 0.5-2cm wide as opposed to long and wide leaves of 20-40cm and 3-4cm respectively.

Princeps leaves are spreading horizontally whereas those of nova stand almost upright.

Growth Rate: T.princeps has normal growth speed but T.nova is by far the fastest growing trachycarpus and puts out split leaflets within 1 year and even hair on the trunk before split leaves occur.

Seeds: T.princeps has much smaller seeds than its counterpart.

Similarity: First of all, both are from the stone gate area.and plus the other thing we see both have in common is that the new emerging leave segments are very narrow for both young seedlings before becoming wider and wider.

[iamjv]

Good information and pictures.... thanks for sharing, look forward to updates in the future. Jv

[ixigena]

Hi Garry,

Please check on this link http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/221111

I have question about the petioles will looks like in the picture when getting bigger?

Thanks,

Hendriks

[garrytsen]

Hi Garry,

Please check on this link http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/221111

I have question about the petioles will looks like in the picture when getting bigger?

Thanks,

Hendriks

Hendriks,

You will free of worry about that question after seeing the adult T.princeps in the habitat with tidy and compact leaves.

By comparison, only T.princeps-green(Nova) has prolonged petioles even in its original place.

[garrytsen]

The following are my own objective growing results of nova, princeps and T.fortunei in the pot and field from seeds collected in 2008 in the habitat.

They were all 1-1.2 years old in the pot when the photos were taken except the bigger princeps in the pot is 1.7 years old.

Among Nova,princeps and T.fortunei, a comparison is being made.

1. Nova are growing amazingly fast to my surprise ,2-3 times than other trachycarpus under the same condition and 1 year old Nova have as tall as 15cm trunk as opposed to 3-5cm ones seen in T.fortunei and princeps.

2. As compared to the other two, Nova preferring vertical rather than horizontal growth have quite slender trunk,larger and longer leaves,enlonged petioles with the elegance of T.martians,but the tips tend to bend easily in the wind due to their narrow and long leaflets.

3.evenly and narrowly split leaflets normally forming 30-60 degree across I have seen in my Nova.In this respect, Nova resemble princeps whereas T.fortunei seedlings have wide and irregularly divided leaflets forming around 180 degree.

4. from the seedlings growing either in the pot and field, there is a color variation among them .Princeps is developing bluish color, Tesan gray to dark green,Nova glossy green.It can be easily detected by camera.

[Palm crazy]

Garry thanks for your observations and great photos illustrating the difference. I need to check two trays I got from another grower that has about five or six different kinds of trachy's in them. So maybe know I can tell what is what. I'm really liking the Nova a lot. Thanks for posting.

Edited July 16, 2010 by Palm crazy

[Carlo Morici]

This is some good information. Go ahead and tell us more!

Carlo

[yachtingone]

Gary thats some neat info!

I got some T. princepts seed two years ago. Back then I got 7 to germinate. Out of the same seed batch I got 3 more to germinate a year later. Now 2 years later I got 2 more to germinate!

Regards, Randy

[Kumar]

Gary, i salute you - this is very informative and nicely presented. Please post more such topics in future.

[Palm crazy]

Garry hope you don't mine me posting some pics.

Well here's my trachy's coming up and these were all started at the same time.

Looks like one is 'Nova"? Sorry camera shake.

Looks like the right kind of leaf shape.

Had to put in the ground since it was uprooted. Hardiness? I hope it not one of the less hardy ones. Yeah I know there's really no room!

Edited July 17, 2010 by Palm crazy

[garrytsen]

It looks like Nova with a narrow leave ,stretched petioles and fast speed.Keep watching and compare with the above ones from the stone gate when more leaves split.

The following are photos of Nova and T.fortunei (Tesan form) taken this Feb and the above ones are from 4 months later after transplanted.We can see the difference back then.

At the time of 3-4 strap leaves,T.nova have much longer and wider leaves of 20-40cm and 3-4cm respectively as opposed to 15cm long and 1-2cm wide seen in T.fortunei

[garrytsen]

Take a look at my T.princeps grown from seeds of the stone gate., 2 different styles of bluish palms,quite interesting .They are all from the same batch of 20 seeds I sowed among which 18 are germinated gradually over several years, but half failed for various reasons .What's fascinating is that the slender ones exhibit more apparent white powder to the underside of the leaves.

[Wanderanwills]

Great Info

Regards

Stephen