Curved trunk experiment. To try or not to try?

[Ste]

Ive always loved the look of palm trees you see on pictures like in the Bahamas and places where they seem to grow at such an angle then slowly curve upwards. Im wondering, if I was to plant one say at something like a 30 degree angle for example, would it just keep growing straight out at that angle or would it eventually curve round slowly so it was finally pointing upwards? I know I live in Morecambe and not the Bahamas, and I dont expect it to grow horizontal but just a slight curve on the trunk would look good I think. Something like this.

[The Codfather]

Curve I would of thought......just like most plants\trees.

[mumfie]

you have previously confessed to having little patience, so i would say, "no way!": it would take at least 5-10 years before the plant pointed upwards again.

however, you could plant a decent chammy and let the pups do it for themselves.

trachies can be planted in groups with a "slight" lean away from each other, and look good.

at heligan there is a Trachycarpus at about 30 deg which has righted itself, but it was about 80 years old.

[Ste]

I know I am not very patient but I was thinking of planting a Trachycarpus with maybe 3 or 4ft of trunk, stick it at the back somewhere out the way and forget about it. Maybe in years to come, it might have done what I wanted it to do

[sanatic1234]

I am probably a long long shot off here as this is just a thought, but may be it is only certain palms that can do this, i have seen quite a few pics of palms doing this and they all seem to have thin trunks and not thick ones. may be a Trachycarpus would be too heavy and would just topple over.

[kata]

I think too no way a Trachi San,

I moved mine after re-pot, leaves were catching on the window when I opened it. Its only got compost halfway up the pot till tomorrow, it weighs a lot even like that....crazy weight.

Anyway trunks already formed thick when we buy them.

[Ste]

Yes I know what you mean about the thin trunks. When I say I would like one with a curve, I dont mean nothing major, even just the slightest of curves. Here's a pic of one which is on ebay. Maybe my eyes arent working properley but this Trachycarpus seems to have a slight curve, nothing much but just a little. Weather its because theres 2 planted together which makes it look like this I dont know but I would say there was a slight curve.

[GoggleboxUK]

If you planted 2 in a very large pot and angled them away from each other then left them to it they would eventually grow back upright in parallel.

This wou;d really accentuate the curves.

I actually don't think it would take as long as people think. Tracjys tend to grow between 6" and a foot in trunk per year and from angle to upright it should only take around 5 years and then another 2 or 3 to develop a second straight section.

[Nigel]

If you plant a Trachycarpus that has trunk at a 30 degree angle , then assuming the light is not obscured from above , it will continue to grow straight up so you wont have a curve, but a palm with a 30 degree bend in the trunk in one place.
To get a true curve you need to slowly tilt the palm a little more each year so that the growth grows a little more acutely in relation to the original trunk each time.

[Ste]

I think this will be my next project, get a decent size tub and maybe a 3ft and 1ft trunked Trachycarpus both planted in the middle but both facing opposite directions. Cant really plant anything with too big a trunk or it wont look right, there will be too much of a straight section I think. The smaller the better the curve I reckon

[Ste]

Heres another on ebay which is the same idea as I want to do. I wouldnt buy this though as I think it looks scruffy, horrible colour and expensive at £215 for buy it now

[sanatic1234]

colour of it is just the way the camera colour is set thats all but yeah very expensive, certainly not worth that.

[Nigel]

Heres another on ebay which is the same idea as I want to do. I wouldnt buy this though as I think it looks scruffy, horrible colour and expensive at £215 for buy it now

Thats a ridiculous price, should be under 100 quid.

Trachys look great planted in three,s , they then grow away from each other and when they are big enough to strip the trunk it is an amazing effect, especially when the trunks are very close together to give appearance of one multitrunked palm.

[GoggleboxUK]

Thats a ridiculous price, should be under 100 quid.

I got a double trunker that size earlier this year for £30.

[Ste]

Thats a ridiculous price, should be under 100 quid.

I got a double trunker that size earlier this year for £30.

Bargain Rick