tetrapanax trunk

[greendragon]

I just recieved a tetra rex which cost me £15 but it is not what i expected. It has a trunk the size of a 2-3 year old cherry tree. I was expecting it to have hardly any trunk at all is this wierd?

[Tom2006]

No its normal. They do grow a trunk of sorts as long as the winter doesn't kill them back to the ground.

[Mr List]

a picture could help

[sanatic1234]

I think its good. You will have more height to your tetrapanax and saves you time building up a trunk.

[Trudytropics]

I have ordered one and hope it has the same size trunk or bigger, I paid a lot of money, so your sounds like a complete bargain Greendragon Is it your first time with one of these? I have never had one, but was green with envy at everyones pictures on here so took the plunge

[greendragon]

I will post a picture but can't untill tommorow. Basically the trunk looks quite skinny and it is up to my waist. Most tetrapanax that I have seen pictures of here have really thick trunks by the time that they get to waist height (3 ft).

It has new growth coming out and everything but the pot looks to be only 8 ltr, it has a small rootball for such a tall tetrapanax. I ordered one from another website with only a slightly smaller rootball but only 6 inches of trunk.

everything else was as expected I also got Burgundy stem/ Musa Basjoo and Ensete which were great.




Im thinking it is a large sucker that has only recently been removed from a mother plant.

[Adrian]

Errr sorry to say this but when they trunk proper the leaves get smaller, still great plants but much different to smaller plants.
I'll get a pic of mine in a mo.

[Adrian]

OK here are a couple of one in the front garden, sure the leaves arent full size yet but this years pups have leaves twice the size at the moment.

[Adrian]

same plant in 2008

[greendragon]

The trunk on mine is about half as thick as that, like I said it looks like the fruit trees they sell at B&Q lol. Not quite as tall, only coming just below waist height.

[Trudytropics]

Thats interesting Adrian, thanks for the pictures, for my purposes a more tree like structure albeit with smaller leaves would be perfect.

Greendragon you probably want bigger leaves, I guess its a waiting game really to see what happens.

Sorry for hijacking your thread, but was wondering if anyone can tell me if removing the lower leaves will be okay, I like to encourage it to get taller with a big head on top Adrian possibly thats what you did, of did they die and you remove them?

[Adrian]

Old leaves just drop off, you can remove them if you wish but mind the (damn what do you call it now ) the dust from under the leaves, breath it in and you'll cough a good'un.
Mellissa (if you search) had some big plants, much bigger than mine.

[Trudytropics]

Thanks Adrian, yes I've read about the nasty dust coming off them , unfortunate, nothing is perfect, I try and find Melissa's pictures, thanks

[Simba]

OK here are a couple of one in the front garden, sure the leaves arent full size yet but this years pups have leaves twice the size at the moment.

They are really interesting pix. I could definately find a space for a T.Rex like that....

[Bob]

After 3 years of total ground coverage from the leaves I now have three growing points and the chance now to get some under planting in!!.