TRex (Tetrapanax papyrifer)

[cherry]

Hi everyone,

Was hoping for a bit of advice on my Tetrapanax. It's a youngish plant, stem is approx 2 ft tall. I was wondering if it's ok to snip off a few of the lower leaves, as the grass and couple of other plants underneath are suffering slightly through lack of light. Will the T.rex suffer if I start snipping?

many thanks

cherry

[Melissa]

It should be fine Cherry, they are quite tough when they are in full growth.

Melissa

[cherry]

Thanks Melissa!
I knew it grew large leaves, however didn't realise just how big they actually get. This years are much bigger than last. I think I will tend to them today.

Thanks again

cherry

[Cathy]

Hi Cherry and welcome!
I was glad to find this thread with your question. I have a T. Rex which is a healthy young plant, making huge leaves already. I know what you mean about it swamping other plants!
Perhaps I will snip off one or two of the lower leaves from mine as well, as Melissa says it should be ok to do so.
Cathy.

[Dave Brown]

Hi Cherry, and welcome to the forum, although I think you joined up some while ago. I thought I had replied to this a few days ago. I definately typed a reply out but must have not hit submit

You don't say if it is a standard Tetrapanax or the T'Rex type. I have heard the standard form is slightly less hardy, perhaps someone can correct me if I am wrong, but with T'Rex here the leaves die off, well, get fried in winter frost, and the plant has the energy to act like a deciduous tree. It should not be harmed by removing the lower leaves, although it may reduce it's vigour. Mine put on about 2 feet of stem per summer, so next year you should be ok.

I had to remove 4 of the first leaves this year as we had a frost after it started to grow and they were damaged. I just waited until it had a couple of decent leaves then lopped the damaged ones

April 2007

July 2008

May 2009

[bobbyd44]

looking good dave what a beast...

[Cathy]

Oooh aren't they fab! I have T Rex looking like your 1st pic' right now Dave, I hope mine looks like your third pic' in two years time!
...Think I had better leave the leaves to grow if it may reduce the vigour. The plants it is 'drowning' can take their chances!
Cathy.

[musa_monkey]

I am constantly chopping unsightly lower leaves of mine, it only seems to irritate it into growing more though

[Cathy]

Now I am all of a dither!
Cathy

[Simba]

Mine put on about 2 feet of stem per summer, so next year you should be ok.

220509 T Rex.jpg

So what do you do to overwinter it..??

One I saw last weekend that looked like having a tree trunk, so it obviously hadn't gone down to ground level and started again....

[simon]

I don't think they need protection, Simba. Small ones might benefit from a teepee affair with fleece but once larger, if the growth point is damaged they will shoot from the next leaf axil/node down. Some may have cut down to ground level last winter but they would be the excption rather than the rule.

[Dave Brown]

I didn't protect mine, but after this spring I think I will throw a fleece over the young emerging leaves if a frost is forecast, as it blackened the leaf tips and they didn't grow properly after that. It did start to grow about a month earlier this year

Cathy, I did not say it reduces the vigour from experience, I just thought that reducing leaf area will reduce it's ability to produce energy from photsynthesis

[Simba]

once larger, if the growth point is damaged they will shoot from the next leaf axil/node down..

That, I did not know.....

That would explain how the one that I saw was a good 9ft tall with a tree-like trunk.

I have a pretty good sheltered position for one, so this really makes me think it would be the ideal plant for me.

[Cathy]

My small potted plant spent last winter on a windowsill. I covered it with a plastic flowerpot 'hat' for a lot of the time. The leaves went black and fell off but it has started growing from the point this spring. I have now planted it out.

[Adrian]

I was slow getting into these, mine is just entering its 3rd year and hardiness hasnt been questioned, it has dropped most of its leaves each winter but grows away again no problem.
Mines entering monster stage now, I just cant believe how fast and how big this thing is, the leaves are massive.