Trachycarpus Taylor form

[Collectorpalms]

Do you have a water report to compare?

in regards to soil type Your is calcium carbonate which helps counter high sodium levels that are biggest issue for a palm that needs a lot of water.

 

[Collectorpalms]

On 1/19/2021 at 9:49 PM, Swolte said:

I just ordered a Trachycarpus Fortunei "Taylor" from Plant Delights Nursery. They are listed for 7b but reports are that these palms can endure much lower (official low has been -8F, yes, that's minus...). 
https://www.plantdelights.com/products/trachycarpus-fortunei-taylor-windmill-palm

Does anyone here have experience with it?

Pic from a PDN FB post.

Funny thing, I dislike Trachycarpus in TX as singles. I think a triple planting at soil level like at the Dallas Arboretum is fuller. 
... but then for 20 years I trained my green Mediterranean’s into singles, and got the look of a single windmill. If I ever replant I’ll make my Mediterranean into a clustering type and go with a triple windmill.  

I think with current availability, maybe a Trachycarpus Fortunei x Trachycarpus Nanus hybrid might be hardiest assuming trunking??? palm. 
 

 

Edited February 27, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[John.]

T. fortunei 
In my opinion fortunei can show many morphological variations and some of them are very attractive.

[Allen]

5 minutes ago, John. said:

T. fortunei 
In my opinion fortunei can show many morphological variations and some of them are very attractive.

That one looks good even with all the brown tips.

[Cikas]

11 hours ago, Collectorpalms said:

Do you have a water report to compare?

in regards to soil type Your is calcium carbonate which helps counter high sodium levels that are biggest issue for a palm that needs a lot of water.

 

My soil is full of lime stone. Lime stone is equel very hard water and alkaline soil. 

https://agrilife.org/agnewsandviews/2018/05/17/limestone-who-what-when-why-and-how/

It seems that you have chloride in your water as I suspected. Which is toxic for plants. 

Also you have copper in you water. Copper is very toxic for palms in general. It will burn their roots if concentration is high. 

[Collectorpalms]

17 minutes ago, Cikas said:

My soil is full of lime stone. Lime stone is equel very hard water and alkaline soil. 

https://agrilife.org/agnewsandviews/2018/05/17/limestone-who-what-when-why-and-how/

It seems that you have chloride in your water as I suspected. Which is toxic for plants. 

Also you have copper in you water. Copper is very toxic for palms in general. It will burn their roots if concentration is high. 

Do you have your water report to compare? And your Personal Trachycarpus pictures?

Edited February 27, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[Swolte]

Was able to visit property of a friend who has been growing for much longer than I have here in College Station a week after the big freeze. We had a discussion about the Trachies and I am not so certain its the water anymore. Pic 1, 2, and 3 are around 8, 10, and 12 year old Fortunei's. The palm in pic 1 is on our (horrible) city water whereas palm #2 gets water pumped up from a well. I couldn't detect much of a difference in terms of health. All palms are in relatively sheltered locations (there were some smaller ones that were not and they looked more battered). He think the trick is in, among some other things, the well-draining soil and the fertilizing (e.g., he adds calcium sulfate, mostly in the fall, and uses 13-5-8 Palm Plus). 

Edited February 28, 2021 by Swolte

[Chester B]

50 minutes ago, Swolte said:

He think the trick is in, among some other things, the well-draining soil

Its so strange how different locations affect the plants habits.  Well draining soil on a Trachy here isn't ideal at all, I have a few in it and they look terrible in comparison and grow much slower.  Wet sloppy clay, the stinkier the better and they grow like rockets and have a nice deep green color.

[Collectorpalms]

1 hour ago, Swolte said:

Was able to visit property of a friend who has been growing for much longer than I have here in College Station a week after the big freeze. We had a discussion about the Trachies and I am not so certain its the water anymore. Pic 1, 2, and 3 are around 8, 10, and 12 year old Fortunei's. The palm in pic 1 is on our (horrible) city water whereas palm #2 gets water pumped up from a well. I couldn't detect much of a difference in terms of health. All palms are in relatively sheltered locations (there were some smaller ones that were not and they looked more battered). He think the trick is in, among some other things, the well-draining soil and the fertilizing (e.g., he adds calcium sulfate, mostly in the fall, and uses 13-5-8 Palm Plus). 

Its a combination of factors. But if you have well draining soil, you can add calcium and it displaces the sodium. You can leach the soil. If you have near zero downward drainage in heavy clay ( like me), then you cannot overcome this. You just pile salt onto salt. If you notice almost every palm and plant of mine is a raised flower bed. And most years the soil is replaced. Live and learn.

Do they have a water report of their well water?

Are these Trachycarpus from today?

Edited February 28, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[Collectorpalms]

Trachycarpus Taylor form is no longer in stock.

I looked up that fertilizer. I think it would be great for palms like mules and queens. It includes micronutrients of calcium magnesium and sulfur. But for the trachycarpus it looks too stretched. A nitrate form of fertilizer would be better, there is too much stretching even in shade.

Edited February 28, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[Swolte]

2 hours ago, Collectorpalms said:

Do they have a water report of their well water?

Are these Trachycarpus from today?

No test but he may get one in the Spring. Yes, these pics are from today! Their leaves look a lot better than my Trachy but that is likely because he has some evergreens shielding the garden from most sides reducing wind chill.

2 hours ago, Chester B said:

Its so strange how different locations affect the plants habits.  Well draining soil on a Trachy here isn't ideal at all, I have a few in it and they look terrible in comparison and grow much slower.  Wet sloppy clay, the stinkier the better and they grow like rockets and have a nice deep green color.

Agreed, we talked about this very thing and apparently the mucky situation did not work for Trachy's here (tried and failed). Note that the Trachy in the last pic is in sand and does well... 

16 hours ago, Collectorpalms said:

I think with current availability, maybe a Trachycarpus Fortunei x Trachycarpus Nanus hybrid might be hardiest assuming trunking??? palm. 

Possibly! I was able to get a very small strapling of T. F. v Tesan which apparently is bred in China for stouter, thick trunk and compact looks in cold areas. They don't get as big (though has the biggest seeds in the genus). Finally started pushing some small leaves last year. 

 

Edited February 28, 2021 by Swolte

[Allen]

This is not a Taylor form and not sure if this adds to this thread but this Trachy sits in full sun in a area that stays REALLY wet in clay.  When I planted it I thought it wouldn't do well because the hole wouldn't drain.  Our soil test showed PH 7.3.  It grows really well.  

Planted Spring 2017 as 3 gallon.  

Trunk height to base of spear

3/2018  8"

6/2019  18"

8/2019  24"

4/2020  31"

6/2020  36"

8/2020  41"

12/2020  48"

 

2017 sorry i can't find a full pic of it.

Edited February 28, 2021 by Allen

[Will Simpson]

On 2/26/2021 at 11:29 PM, Swolte said:

Yes, spears on young trachy do tend to pull easily. How long ago did you get these? They look very happy!!

I got three in tiny pots , and much smaller in size than their own  seedlings are now , about 14 years ago . 

Taylor Forms seem to have spear pull much later than other varieties , but when they are mature have survived  through the 1980's record cold in the Raleigh area . 

Their fronds often look a little less stiff than other varieties of Trachys . 

[Cikas]

On 2/27/2021 at 11:45 PM, Collectorpalms said:

Do you have your water report to compare? And your Personal Trachycarpus pictures?

Older photo of mine.

Mine young Wagnerianus. It has sun damage on some leaves as confirmation how hot climate is here during summer. And how strong sun is.

Edited March 2, 2021 by Cikas

[Will Simpson]

On 2/26/2021 at 11:29 PM, Swolte said:

Yes, spears on young trachy do tend to pull easily. How long ago did you get these? They look very happy!!

My Trachys are about 15 years old . Taylor Forms are notorious for spear pull a couple years after others mature out of it , for some reason ?  Another thing about Taylor Forms is that they  have a less stiff frond than others too , which to me gives them a tropical look   . If the fronds are too floppy on some Trachys I've seen they can look ratty , but my Taylor Forms have the right amount of flop . Just my opinion .

I should expect to see inflorescences poking out any day now . 

Will

Edited March 3, 2021 by Will Simpson

[Will Simpson]

My three  Taylor Forms are about 15 years old from the tiniest pots PDN uses . 

Here's a  closer look at my Taylor Form Trachys . The one on the left is a Taylor Form male with an unknown female to the right  . That Female is defibered at the bottom by my pulling on the fiber that was rotten and no other special cutting or anything . Its fronds are a little stiffer than the Taylor Form's fronds .

I think I'll leave the skirt on that Taylor form but I trim off the skirt of the unknown Trachy just for some diversity in the landscape .

 

The male below was the runt of the three I bought at PDN ,  but once I moved it from a location it didn't seem to like for some reason , it caught up to its brother and sister . I'm trimming the skirt on this one too .

 

And lastly , the one female of the three below  .  I'm going to leave the skirt on this one too .

Both females have Trachy seedlings and small trees in the underbrush . I should see inflorescences on these and day now . 

Edited March 3, 2021 by Will Simpson

[Swolte]

Great shots, Will. Mine arrived today!

[Allen]

27 minutes ago, Swolte said:

Great shots, Will. Mine arrived today!

Cool should do well in your climate.  remember as it gets older it loves water.