TRex (Tetrapanax papyrifer 'Rex') clone recognition

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Mick C
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Re: TRex (Tetrapanax papyrifer) clone recognition

Post by Mick C »

Interesting stuff. I have previously thought that all T rex's are from a single introduction at Crug, with just a bit of natural variation. Wrong again Mick.

What I also find curious is the final photo in Mark E's gallery that Weve linked to (thanks Weve btw, I have previously tried to find this after losing it). Given that these things don't like being restricted by growing in pots, why do they have such a small root structure?
metalhammer

Re: TRex (Tetrapanax papyrifer) clone recognition

Post by metalhammer »

There is a nursery in South Africa which has another form that appeared there.I did an importation some years back,but the plants had been de-potted & the roots very thoroughly cleaned & after 8 days in transit failed to grow.But the pictures of it showed a different form all together.

I don't think the guy has a website,but I'll find out.His name is Terence Bloch,used to based in Stamford Hill in London before he went back to South Africa.


edit,his nursery is called 'Table Bay View Nursery',he does export,min order is £15.Catalogue is £3.40,but if it's like his old catalogues,more like a reference book than a catalogue.





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SteveW

Re: TRex (Tetrapanax papyrifer) clone recognition

Post by SteveW »

Given that these things don't like being restricted by growing in pots, why do they have such a small root structure?
Never noticed anything small about the root structure on mine last weekend.
Big thick rootsover 2m away and 2ft down and still going strong.
I knw I'm going to regret cutting through its roots some day soon as I'm sure it'll reward me witha sea of pups :shock:
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Dave Brown
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Re: TRex (Tetrapanax papyrifer) clone recognition

Post by Dave Brown »

Mick C wrote: Given that these things don't like being restricted by growing in pots, why do they have such a small root structure?
I suppose when you think about it this is a small tree. I guess we all think in terms of a a banana from the exotics point of view, but if, for instance, you compare it with Paulownia the roots are smaller and more fleshy. However, they do spread a long way. with pups appearing 3 to 4 feet beyond the leaf span. It would seem a very wide area for roots, but another plant that has this is Cycas revoluta which does not originate that far from Taiwan, in the southern Japanese Islands. Both have a summer monsoon, so I am wondering if these, like Cycas, suffer from mini droughts at other times of the year. A huge root system would ensure adequate moisture for a longer period. :wink:

MH, How was the south African one different :?:
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Mick C
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Re: TRex (Tetrapanax papyrifer) clone recognition

Post by Mick C »

SteveW wrote:
Given that these things don't like being restricted by growing in pots, why do they have such a small root structure?
Never noticed anything small about the root structure on mine last weekend.
Big thick rootsover 2m away and 2ft down and still going strong.
I knw I'm going to regret cutting through its roots some day soon as I'm sure it'll reward me witha sea of pups :shock:
I didn't really explain my query too well Steve. I realise of course that the thick roots had been chopped through but I had imagined that there would be a mat of small roots beneath the trunk. I have not dug around mine for fear of damaging these, but of course they aren't there - I was given one with about 2 - 3 ft of trunk a couple of days ago and was surprised to see this.

I see what you mean Dave, sends out long thick roots to seek out moisture, and sulks if it can't.
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simon
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Re: TRex (Tetrapanax papyrifer) clone recognition

Post by simon »

They do seem to lack a capillary root system (if that is the correct term). I would have thought that is what would be required for maximum surface area during dry periods.

It is this capillary system that holds a root ball together when you dig a plant up. I was surprised when I dug mine up to move it in spring 2008, to find that the soil just fell away leaving a completely bare root system of thick fleshy roots.
Last edited by simon on Thu Apr 08, 2010 12:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Dave Brown
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Re: TRex (Tetrapanax papyrifer) clone recognition

Post by Dave Brown »

I can't answer how the plant works getting it's moisture, but some plants exposed to drought have long roots to get down below the drying out layer. Surface rooting plants are the first to go in an dry spell. Date Palms for instance only have a rootball when potted. Grown in the ground they seem to just grow roots in all directions.

Has anyone dug to the end of a root :?: Maybe the capillary roots are away from the plant itself.and you cut them all off when transplanting. They are reputed to transplant badly, although Gary n Nat moved one successfully I believe by moving when dormant. :wink:
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metalhammer

Re: TRex (Tetrapanax papyrifer) clone recognition

Post by metalhammer »

Leaf shape was different,more points than the normal 'rex',but the same pointed shape,from what I can remember,it has been 5 or 6 yrs since I've had a catalogue.You don't get a free one the next year,you have to buy it.I doubt I'll deal with him again,I ordered 2 Musa 'tropicana',one Philodendron 'xanadu'?( I think)& 2 Tetrapanax,he seemed very reluctant to tell me the shipping costs,when I finally got the bill,l can see why he was reluctant to tell me,it was £146 :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: .I was ******* fuming & told him so in a very bad tempered e-mail.Bit bloody late when the plants were in transit.Not a single plant survived the root cleaning process,I lost £262 on the deal.His stuff was always so good when he was based in Stamford Hill.





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JoelR
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Re: TRex (Tetrapanax papyrifer) clone recognition

Post by JoelR »

I have the Rex BSWJ clone from Crug complete with healthy stem and growing point despite ground frost temps as low as -14.5. i notice Chiltern are still advertising seed as Fatsia Papyrifer. has anyone ever germinated this? It could result in a new clone.
SharkOfSweden

Re: TRex (Tetrapanax papyrifer) clone recognition

Post by SharkOfSweden »

Does anybody know where i can get one? I live in sweden and here the gardenshops are so boring!:-(
Mr List

Re: TRex (Tetrapanax papyrifer) clone recognition

Post by Mr List »

i give up with trying to pin down types of this plant.

i am going to email easy tropicals to see if they can provide any kind of history as to where their trex comes from.

the most annoying thing is i am finding it impossible to search for the regular tetrapanax for reference since search results always come back with rex results.
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Re: TRex (Tetrapanax papyrifer) clone recognition

Post by Dave Brown »

I don't know why you are trying to trace back, as all will have come from Krug's introduction, so you won't get any further back than that.

As for looks and hardiness, that is for us to determine, as any seed grown plants may have natural variations :wink: Now that we are cloning from pups and root cuttings, we can differentiate which ones are best, but unfortunately they will all have the same name when people sell. I will be describing any plant that I sell, but I guess most won't.
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Re: TRex (Tetrapanax papyrifer) clone recognition

Post by Dave Brown »

As for the standard Tetrpanax papyrifer, that is not reliably hardy so was never as popular as Rex.
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Mr List

Re: TRex (Tetrapanax papyrifer) clone recognition

Post by Mr List »

where do all these divergences come from if they were all from krugs collection?

plus krug has three forms of tetrapanax listed, so where did these other two end up?
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Re: TRex (Tetrapanax papyrifer) clone recognition

Post by Dave Brown »

Mr List wrote:where do all these divergences come from if they were all from krugs collection?
Seed grown may have diverse differences. Trachycarpus fortunei shows the variation,and my home grown seed from the same parents show huge differences in form.
Mr List wrote:plus krug has three forms of tetrapanax listed, so where did these other two end up?
When I read this topic and Krug's description, it is pretty obvious to me that I have two forms of the Rex 1993 batch.

Empress does not produce pups, root cuttings have failed, and it is too cold to set seed. This p0lant has run out of supply and as both types I have pup profusely they are not Empress.

Di-Sue-Shan has orange indumentum, which mine do not have....

Both the grooved and flat leaved forms have beige indumentum, as in the 1993 Rex :wink:
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