Trachycarpus Fortunei (Chinese Windmill Palm)

Trachycarpus Fortunei (Chusan Palm)

The Chinese Windmill Palm has large, windmill-like leaves. It can withstand winter temperatures to -15°C. The fibre-like, hairy trunk gives the plants a natural protection against freezing temperatures. You can plant the palm in a tub or pot or in the ground. It will grow really well there. Can you already picture the palm in your garden, or on your terrace or balcony? It truly is a stunning sight. You feel like you’re in tropical climes. It also provides plenty of privacy. Those waving leaves prevent others from looking directly into your garden or home.

Growing the Chinese Windmill Palm

This distinctive, tropical plant is native to South-East Asia. They’ve been found in the upper regions of the Himalaya, covered in snow, so they can clearly cope with harsh winter weather.

Why chose the Trachycarpus Fortunei palm tree?

• The plant is distinctive and beautiful.
• It takes you straight back to warmer climes.
• The palm is winter hardy, which is important if you live in northern Europe.
• This palm tree is also not very fussy about the moisture content of the soil.
• The plant only needs to be fertilized with palm feed once or twice a year.
• It is suitable for growing in a pot, tub, or in the ground.
• Pruning is only needed if any leaves are brown/yellow or ugly-looking.

When should you plant your Chinese Windmill Palm?

Unlike almost all other plants, palms cannot be planted throughout the year. The palm actually needs time enough to take root after planting. So, planting just before winter is not a good time. The ideal time is April or May (in any event when there are no more overnight frosts). This gives the palm an entire season to acclimatize to its new home.

What’s the best way to plant your Chusan Palm?

As we mentioned earlier, you can plant your Trachycarpus Fortunei in a tub, pot, or in the ground. However, planting your new palm in the ground does have several advantages. Your plant will grow faster and will become bigger. It also helps it to become winter hardy. Your plant also needs less care than a palm in a pot or tub. The hole in which you place the palm root ball must be at least 30 centimetres larger in diameter than the palm’s root ball. Sprinkle some lava granulate in the hole. This will enable to palm to take root properly and provides good drainage. Cover with earth, press this down slightly, and water your Chinese Windmill Palm well two or three times a week in the first weeks.

Tips

• Select a good spot when planting your palm in the ground. Trachycarpus Fortunei prefers a spot in full sun or partial shade. A position against a south-facing wall is often a little warmer.
• Make sure you take the wind into account. The more shelter from the wind, the better it is for the plant.
• Here are a few tips for planting it in a container or tub: Make a few holes in the pot or container and place bubble wrap around the inside of it for insulation. Scatter a generous layer of hydrograins on the bottom and then fill up with Mediterranean potting soil.
• During severe winters, it’s important that you protect your Chusan Palm. You could place a fleece over the crown or you could also wrap it up in a tree jacket. If you’ve planted your palm in a pot or tub, move it to a light and frost-free position in the winter.

Positioning
An adult Chinese Windmill palm will grow around 30 centimetres per year and the leaf crown can reach two metres in diameter. So be aware that you need enough distance from other plants, trees, or buildings.

Advice and Care

Water
When watering, it’s best to imitate a sub-tropical downpour. So, instead of watering it every day, give plenty of water every three days. It’s best to use rainwater as the limescale in tap water can affect the palm roots. If the weather is really dry, your palm will need watering every day.

Fertilizer

Fertilize your Chinese windmill palm in the spring and again in the summer if necessary, using an organic fertilizer. 

Pruning
Spring is the ideal time to prune your Trachycarpus Fortunei. You can then remove any parched leaves, but only do this to around 10 centimetres from the trunk. Never prune back completely to the trunk.

Treating common problems
Mould and bacteria will take hold if the growing point is damaged. That’s why you should protect the growing point in the winter months and keep it dry. We recommend spraying the growing point with an anti-mould spray in autumn and in early spring. You can use sulphur spray or Rosacur for this. The palm leaves can become light yellow. This is a sign of iron deficiency. Chlorosis, or iron deficiency, occurs in high-calcium soils or high-alkaline soils that have a high pH value. You should then add iron to the soil. 
If the soil is slightly acidic to acidic (low pH value), your palm could have a magnesium deficiency. The leaves will then become light green or yellowy-green and you will need to fertilize with magnesium.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Chinese Windmill Palm

Advantages

• The plant is winter hardy
• Trachycarpus Fortunei is also not very fussy about the moisture content of the soil.
• The palm tree only needs to be fertilized once or twice a year.
• You can plant it in a pot, tub, or in the ground.
• Pruning is only needed if any leaves are brown/yellow or ugly-looking.

Disadvantages

• The plant prefers rainwater as the limescale in tap water can affect the palm roots.
• The size of the crown means that the pot containing the palm can blow over easily.

Conclusion

Trachycarpus Fortunei (Chinese Windmill Palm) is a real asset for your garden, terrace, or balcony. Its exotic and luxurious look gives you that permanent holiday feeling. It’s also strong and needs little maintenance, which is ideal. If you’re looking for a stunning palm like this, order one of these today. If you have any questions, please contact us.