Tetrapanax papyrifer 'Steroidal Giant'

[MarkD]

Some say that this Tetrapanax is just an American name for a tissue cultured T.p. 'Rex' i.e. they are the same plant. Some say they're different.

We've got one (Thanks to Sue from Ireland ) and we're pot growing it for now to see first if it looks different from the Rex variety before we give it a pride of place on the ground. It's only small and tends to hold on to 3 leaves at a time due to pot culture but I've just noticed that the leaves seem to look different indeed. It's got a maple leaf shape wherein 'Rex' is more lobed and deeply cut. However being a juvenile plant it's too early to conclude

steroidalDSCF2868.JPG

Anyone else growing this?? What do you think, are they or are they not the same

[Frank]

No idea Mark but less lobed/ deeply cut leaves are more akin to the regular T. papyrifer from what I've read. I've planted what I believe to be regular and rex this year to see the difference.
Melissa is growing both in her garden and showed me more established plants and it was clear.
Not much help was I

[AndyC]

Mark, the leaves in your picture are quite different from those of my Tetrapanax papyrifer

I have to take its picture from the bedroom window now its got so tall

[Mick C]

Is it possible to control their height by coppicing them or do you just have to let them grow as they wish? I have one in a pot and I'm trying to decide where to plant it out.

[MarkD]

Not much help was I

No not really

Kidding! I've compared both SG and normal papyrifer and the latter has more deeply cut and lobed leaves as well. Andy's photo shows it too. I'm glad that there's a high possibility that the leaf shape are indeed different as it makes SG a unique cultivar. I'll have to start thinking where to plant it.

Andy, isn't it nice when it gets going and grows really tall? I think both forms are good but the 'Rex' while still squat absolutely swamps it's immediate area.

Mick, I haven't heard anyone coppice theirs but I know a few had said that the main growing point got cut back by a hard frost only to reshoot again on the side. Do you think that might be similar in principle??

[Gaz]

Sue, did this come from a pup of your plant? Any chance of a photo of the mature one?

[Mick C]

That would seem to make sense Mark. I read some posts by Kev Spence on GOTE a few weeks ago where he described how he thought he had lost his T rex over winter. Subsequently is started sprouting from ground level.

Sounds a bit risky now that I think about it.

[jwjwright]

Is it possible to control their height by coppicing them or do you just have to let them grow as they wish? I have one in a pot and I'm trying to decide where to plant it out.

I noticed that the large swathe of the bog standard T papyrifer planted out at Architectural Plants had been coppiced this spring. It was earlier in the year when I was there and they hadn't as yet started much regrowth, but I'm sure they were shooting from the cut-off stems. I haven't been back since, hmm sounds like an excuse. As Mark also points out people report them reshooting after losing the growing tip, I think they're pretty hard to stop.....

[Mick C]

Is it possible to control their height by coppicing them or do you just have to let them grow as they wish? I have one in a pot and I'm trying to decide where to plant it out.

I noticed that the large swathe of the bog standard T papyrifer planted out at Architectural Plants had been coppiced this spring. It was earlier in the year when I was there and they hadn't as yet started much regrowth, but I'm sure they were shooting from the cut-off stems. I haven't been back since, hmm sounds like an excuse. As Mark also points out people report them reshooting after losing the growing tip, I think they're pretty hard to stop.....

Well that sounds quite promising, although I think that if anyone can stop them, it's me .

[DiCasS]

The first year mine was in the ground I thought I had lost it but it sent up three growing points from ground level

DSCN0388.JPG

so would have thought it was possible to cut back to keep it nice and bushy at eye level.

Di

[Chad]

'Rex' itself has at least two clones probably deriving from the Crug introduction BSWJ1925. It is likely that 'Steroid Giant' is another [independent] introduction of a similar form.

Kobakoba make it all clear [but they don't mention 'Steroid Giant'].

http://www.aump26.dsl.pipex.com/tetrapa ... yrifer.htm


With regard to cutting it back, Christopher Lloyd used to lift his main plant for winter protection, and then when all the suckers grew in the spring he would let those take over and sell the lifted specimens!


Chad.

[Sue in Ireland]

Hi Mark, Gaz

Gaz, Mark's is a sucker from my main plant.

This particular one was sent over from the US. From my own observation of growing both T. SG and T.Rex, I have to say they are totally different. To be honest, I'm not that impressed with T.SG and it gets cut to the ground by frost every year. It never regrows from the previous year's trunk but sends up suckers from the roots and because of this, it never gets to any great height. I look upon it as a large herbaceous perennial! The leaves appear thicker and woolier than T.rex and from my experience, T.rex is far more impressive both in hardiness (never lost the growing point through winter) and leaf size.

This is just the opinion I've come to with regards to my own garden and climate. Anybody growing it where the winters are mild would probably end up with a very impressive plant.

Below is a pic taken in August 2006.

All the best.

Sue

[MarkD]

Thanks for the input Sue, really helpful It changes our plans for and where we're supposed to plant it out. I do hope we'll get a good sized specimen out of it as it's lovely in it's own right but as you said just expect for it to behave like a perennial.

[Mark]

Fingers crossed Steve Jacobs of Pheonix will have his variegated T.Rex propped soon and that will be a must have.

It really was a stunning looking plant ( sorry no photos ) and he said he was thinking about getting it possibly Micro propped.

Has anyone who went to Pheonix kept in toutch with Steve to find out if he has succseeded with it ?

( Another good venue for a mini meet too )

[SteveW]

Hardy exotics have one of the variegated rexes too so hopefully they'll start selling them soon,like in 3 weeks time(would be nice )