Trachycarpus oreophilus on Doi Chiang Dao, Thailand.

[Takil-Explorer]

Here a link to Trachycarpus oreophilus in habitad on Doi Chiang Dao, Thailand. I went there on that mountain on Februari 19, 2008.

http://www.growingontheedge.net/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4602&hilit=+Trachycarpus+oreophilus

Alexander

[Patricia-CR]

Wow! Thanks! Interesting and wonderful shots. Amazing to see them in habitat.

[Zayin]

Thanks for those shots, that was a real treat. Trachycarpus oreophilus is a great palm.

[Jimhardy]

Definitely an interesting palm.

I love the last shot of that toughy on the mountain!

[Takil-Explorer]

For those whom want to see it, I can recomend www.maleenature.com to stay. You can see the T. oreophilus from there allready with a binoculair. And you can do the mountain in a one day trek or several days.

And its not that far from Chiang Mai either.

Alexander

[Al in Kona]

Thanks for sharing Alexander. Can you tell us something about the climate of the area where this palm grows? Do you know at what elevation it grows? Do they ever experience frost there?

[Central Floridave]

cool photos. appropiate website for those palms...growing on the edge... !!!

[Takil-Explorer]

The mountain is arround 2400 meters high. They get some frost there now and then. But not that much I guess as the mountain is situated to far south for that. In the Himalaya it would get much colder at 2400 meters. See also the Trachycarpus takil information.

I guess for the milder parts of the US like California and maybe Florida Trachycarpus oreophilus will do well. But I do not know if it can cope with very hot weather for a longer time.

Alexander

[Kailua_Krish]

My seedlings all died once it reached our summer rainy season, they were the only trachy seedlings to do so

-Krishna

[JasonD]

Thank you for this exceptional opportunity to see these rare plants in habitat.

[PalmGuyWC]

T. oreophilus grows well for me, but it's one of the slowest growing palms I have. It looks best in the cooler months, not so happy with dry summer heat.

Dick

[Takil-Explorer]

I guess it likes a kind of cloudforest environement during the rainy season. It grows in a monsoon climate as you folks probably know.

Alexander

[richnorm]

Thanks for sharing, what an awesome trip. Are there other trachies in the same area? I suspect my oreophilus seedlings may have something else in them as they all show four ridges instead of two.

cheers

Richard

[Takil-Explorer]

Richard,

On that mountain only one Trachycarpus is found. But there are other palms as well. I saw a Calamus and a Caryota in the same area as the T. oreiophilus was found. Most T. oreophilus grow on the steep limestone cliffs.

Lower down in the warmer humid forest I also saw a Musa with purple bananas! A lot of nice things grow there!

But you can visit them wich is not so difficuld. Have a look at: www.maleenature.com from there you can even see some Trachycarpus growing on the mountain. Well its only 77 km from Chiang Mai, so its not difficuld to get there. And Thailand anyway is a very nice holliday destination.

Alexander

[pilou]

T. oreophilus grows well for me, but it's one of the slowest growing palms I have. It looks best in the cooler months, not so happy with dry summer heat.

Dick

Where did you get the seeds ?

I've tried to find (real) seeds of T. oreophilus but all what I bought was not oreophilus...

I bought seedling too, from 4 different nurseries (Europ / Australia / US)... and it was not oreophilus too

I'm living no far from the Doi Chiang Dao and the only seed I found was at 400US$ for one...

The Forest Dept which take care of those palms told me that it's easier to have Lodoicea maldavica than T. oreophilus... Sure, there are more Lodoicea maldavica in private gardens in Thailand than T. oreo...

[Takil-Explorer]

Well you can go to that mountain. And the hike to the sumid you can do in one day. By car uphill till a point where the trail starts. You can also camp on that mountain. There is a campsite. You can also find nice things like Musa Birmese Blue. Well I saw a Musa with that kind of blue fruits. But they grow lower down on the mountain.

And for more info check: www.maleenature.com I stayed at that place. Very nice there!

Alexander

[Brad Mondel]

I love seeing palms in their natural habitat, These Trachycarpus look prehistoric and exceptionally beautiful.

[Takil-Explorer]

Well I have seen 3 Trachycarpi in habitad. T. oreophilus was my first. The other 2 where T. martianus in Nepal and T. takil in India below the Kalamuni Pass. The last ones was the most awesome, with the whole landscape arround it of the mighty Himalaya!

Alexander

[edbrown_III]

These photos make me want to take a road trip thanks for posting.

Best regards

Ed