The mystery of the rare variegated Trachycarpus

Addictedtopalms26

The mystery of the rare variegated Trachycarpus

Post by Addictedtopalms26 »

Visitors of the Palm centre in London will recognize this palm. It's part of their trachycarpus collection.

Does anyone on the forum own one? How rare are they?

Image

Image

I found this link on growing on the edge, which also has some nice pictures:
http://www.growingontheedge.net/viewtopic.php?t=3183
User avatar
redsquirrel
Posts: 12169
Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2009 8:35 pm
Location: bristol
Contact:

Re: The mystery of the rare variegated Trachycarpus

Post by redsquirrel »

rare as flippin hens teeth .if ever another turned up over here,i wouldnt mind betting mr shattock got his hands on one first.been looking for years i believe
mars ROVER broken down. headgasket faillure
cordyman

Re: The mystery of the rare variegated Trachycarpus

Post by cordyman »

INTERESTED.
Mr List

Re: The mystery of the rare variegated Trachycarpus

Post by Mr List »

this is completely new to me.
MikeC

Re: The mystery of the rare variegated Trachycarpus

Post by MikeC »

Tin of yellow paint, sorted.

:lol:
Springy

Re: The mystery of the rare variegated Trachycarpus

Post by Springy »

I have seen this plant in the flesh and also pictures of it and it seems extremely slow growing for a trachycarpus. I can't see that the yellow part of the foliage would slow down the growth so why is it so slow growing. It's in a greenhouse too so surely it should be growing quicker?!

I have never seen this plant anywhere else other than the palm centre. I'm amazed that it's not mentioned more!
Troppoz

Re: The mystery of the rare variegated Trachycarpus

Post by Troppoz »

Springy wrote: I can't see that the yellow part of the foliage would slow down the growth so why is it so slow growing. It's in a greenhouse too so surely it should be growing quicker?!


The variegated part is lacking chlorophyll, so the plant has less ability to photosynthesise and produce sugars which would result in slower growth.

Im rather taken with variegated palms, Ive got 5 variegated Rhaphis palms that are VERY slow and burn even in reflected light. They are beautiful though so worth persevering with. I think Dave has a variegated Caryota palm that seemed to be doing well for him.

Id love to get hold of a variegated Licuala palm, Ive got a little Licuala mapu, beautiful but not technically variegated, but what Id really like to get is a variegated Licuala grandis or elegans, absolutely breathtaking plants!
Attachments
Varlicuala.jpg
post-1017-059703200 1323178756_thumb.jpg
post-1017-059703200 1323178756_thumb.jpg (9.83 KiB) Viewed 3301 times
JBALLY

Re: The mystery of the rare variegated Trachycarpus

Post by JBALLY »

I think the only way to get one would be to buy one which would be very expensive if you could even find one to buy or to sow thousands and thousands of seeds and eventually one might come up with the variegation showing. I think it is just a case of being lucky, same as sowing any seed a sport will eventually come up with variegation or completely albino in which case will die. Some seeds regularly throw up albino plants like citrus from seed or brugmansia from seed but with no chlorophyll they can not photosynthesise so can not live, some plants produce variegation more regularly than others trachycarpus not so much!
User avatar
redsquirrel
Posts: 12169
Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2009 8:35 pm
Location: bristol
Contact:

Re: The mystery of the rare variegated Trachycarpus

Post by redsquirrel »

wasnt the palm centre one growing outside before? the transplant would also set it back along with the fact trackies dont like growing in greenhouses as much as outdoors
mars ROVER broken down. headgasket faillure
miketropic

Re: The mystery of the rare variegated Trachycarpus

Post by miketropic »

Troppoz wrote:
Springy wrote: I can't see that the yellow part of the foliage would slow down the growth so why is it so slow growing. It's in a greenhouse too so surely it should be growing quicker?!


The variegated part is lacking chlorophyll, so the plant has less ability to photosynthesise and produce sugars which would result in slower growth.

Im rather taken with variegated palms, Ive got 5 variegated Rhaphis palms that are VERY slow and burn even in reflected light. They are beautiful though so worth persevering with. I think Dave has a variegated Caryota palm that seemed to be doing well for him.

Id love to get hold of a variegated Licuala palm, Ive got a little Licuala mapu, beautiful but not technically variegated, but what Id really like to get is a variegated Licuala grandis or elegans, absolutely breathtaking plants!

well you sumed alot of it up for me I have 2 var Rhaphis palms myself, which ones do you own? mine don't burn in sun so much but the yellow in the leaves does go brown very easy.

var. palms are fairly common over here but very very expencive and the group of collectors who own most of them will pay ALOT of money. The guy I get my var. palms from just sold a nice var. euro fan for 900 USD and that was cheap. I am thinking of gettin a var. needle palm as well as a var. trechy when I can stomach paying that much. var fishtails for sale here every day.

the Licuala grandis var would be the holy grail of var. palms. never seen one and I doubt I ever will for sale or on display. Arnt those Mapu considered molted and not var troppoz? beautiful palms none the less and I hope to increase my collection soon.
Troppoz

Re: The mystery of the rare variegated Trachycarpus

Post by Troppoz »

Mike I cant remember the names of the Rhaphis cultivars of the top of my head and the labels have faded so its anyones guess. You have to remember the difference between your mid-latitude sun and my equatorial sun as well which would account for why mine burn and yours dont.

The Licuala mapu is mottled rather than variegated yes, but a lot of people call them variegated. Heres a pic of mine, its just a tiddler but when it gets advanced it will be very impressive. Id like to have a few more and do a mass planting.
Attachments
Mine
Mine
Not mine
Not mine
miketropic

Re: The mystery of the rare variegated Trachycarpus

Post by miketropic »

they are very beautiful when they get larger. Id just like to have one but they are very expencive over here. not hard to find but you pay a price. one about the size of yours would be 60-70 USD. Have you ever seen a var licuala for sale? I havn't here in the states.

My large var raphis is just common and the var. isnt that heavy. my other is a ZUIKONISHIKI which I hear is the most sought after. its only a single cane but it has a really nice spear commin out and I hope it puts on a few new canes soon.

ZUIKONISHIKI

Image
Troppoz

Re: The mystery of the rare variegated Trachycarpus

Post by Troppoz »

Mike I got my mapu for $46.50AU which I was very happy about. icon_cheers

Im not prepared to share any photos of my variegated Rhaphis, they look like absolute loads of shallots. Zuikonishiki does sound familiar and the variegations do look similar to one of them. Once they decide to grow OK Ill show them off, but while they look like frazzled ragged wotsits Ill keep them in the shame file... :oops:

Yours looks a picture of health!

Oh and no Ive never seen a variegated Licuala for sale, if I had Id sell my mother to own it! :lol:
miketropic

Re: The mystery of the rare variegated Trachycarpus

Post by miketropic »

don't let that pic fool you its a constant manicure with that one and the really large one both get ragged ends and brown on the var. so I am always trimming them...I really want a mapu now :lol:
Addictedtopalms26

Re: The mystery of the rare variegated Trachycarpus

Post by Addictedtopalms26 »

Wow so it is as rare as I thought!

It would be interesting to find out, how the Palm centre got hold of it. Perhaps they've got lots of contacts around the world. I'll ask next time I visit. icon_thumleft
Post Reply