Oldest living Trachycarpus in the UK?

fieldfest

Oldest living Trachycarpus in the UK?

Post by fieldfest »

I think ive said on here before that the Trachycarpus at Ventnor are claimed to be the oldest in the UK to be told "no they're not"

Ive just stumbled accross this which gives a little bit more information on the dates, and it seems mr fortune (of fortuneii fame) gave the seedlings over himself (to queen Victoria) in 1850

http://ventnorbotanicfriends.org.uk/

"Circa 1850 Robert Fortune brought us palm seedlings from China which he hand-reared en route on board ship in a Wardian case"
Last edited by fieldfest on Tue Nov 19, 2013 3:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
GoggleboxUK

Re: Oldest living Palms in the UK?

Post by GoggleboxUK »

I would have thought that massive Jubaea in Torquay was older still?
jungle jas

Re: Oldest living Palms in the UK?

Post by jungle jas »

What about the one in Kew they are chopping down in the new year. :roll:
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Yorkshire Kris
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Re: Oldest living Palms in the UK?

Post by Yorkshire Kris »

jungle jas wrote:What about the one in Kew they are chopping down in the new year. :roll:

Whats a whole other story/argument....
billdango

Re: Oldest living Palms in the UK?

Post by billdango »

jungle jas wrote:What about the one in Kew they are chopping down in the new year. :roll:

Why don't they dig it out and move it down to Southampton?

It will be perfectly hardy here.

To destroy that palm is an insult to all palm lovers as to buy one that size for our collections will cost a fortune.

billdango :(
Blairs

Re: Oldest living Palms in the UK?

Post by Blairs »

I would guess the oldest palm in the UK could be found in one of the older botanic gardens: as either they would have been introduced there first or have been well kept over the centuries. I know Glasgow has a few early Victorian Palms and Edinburgh has a collection. My guess is Kew or the like would have the oldest.

Another source may be stately homes as they would have bought specimens for their gardens. Question is if they survived.
fieldfest

Re: Oldest living Palms in the UK?

Post by fieldfest »

I wouldn't have thought you could get much older than the ones Mr fortune germinated on the boat home. Trachycarpus that is. Probably the same batch sent some to kew too
jungle jas

Re: Oldest living Palms in the UK?

Post by jungle jas »

billdango wrote:
jungle jas wrote:What about the one in Kew they are chopping down in the new year. :roll:

Why don't they dig it out and move it down to Southampton?

It will be perfectly hardy here.

To destroy that palm is an insult to all palm lovers as to buy one that size for our collections will cost a fortune.

billdango :(
Bill, why dont you make them an offer. Ill give you a hand to get it out. :D
Blairs

Re: Oldest living Palms in the UK?

Post by Blairs »

fieldfest wrote:I wouldn't have thought you could get much older than the ones Mr fortune germinated on the boat home. Trachycarpus that is. Probably the same batch sent some to kew too
Sounds very plausible.
GREVILLE

Re: Oldest living Palms in the UK?

Post by GREVILLE »

Those on my hands would probably qualify.
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Yorkshire Kris
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Re: Oldest living Palms in the UK?

Post by Yorkshire Kris »

Greville, born in the 1800s, Uks oldest man with the oldest palms. :) lol.
Clive60

Re: Oldest living Palms in the UK?

Post by Clive60 »

The Trachys at Abbotsbury Gardens can't be far behind the Ventnor ones, the are huge.
jungle jas

Re: Oldest living Palms in the UK?

Post by jungle jas »

fieldfest wrote:I wouldn't have thought you could get much older than the ones Mr fortune germinated on the boat home. Trachycarpus that is. Probably the same batch sent some to kew too
Sorry Fieldfest I was looking at the main title. The Palm I am talking about is a Jubaea. icon_thumright
JonK

Re: Oldest living Palms in the UK?

Post by JonK »

One of the oldest Trachycarpus's I am aware of is at Peckover House, Wisbech. It is supposed to be one of the first three to be brought over by Robert Fortune.

"Robert Fortune was another plant hunter who travelled to China and we have him to thank for the hardy palm tree, Trachycarpus fortunei or Chusan palm. Fortune brought three specimens back with him in 1842, one still survives at Peckover House in Cambridgeshire where the cold Fen winds are a testament to it ability to survive temperatures of minus 15 centigrade or lower."

It would be hard to beat that with a Trachycarpus.
charliepridham

Re: Oldest living Palms in the UK?

Post by charliepridham »

I would have thought Trachycarpus fortunei was a later introduction than Phoenix canariensis or the Eurapean fan palm, so its quite possible one of those could be older
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