Trachycarpus fortunei and chamaerops excelsa

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cheshirepalms
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Trachycarpus fortunei and chamaerops excelsa

Post by cheshirepalms »

What is the difference between these palms? I've seen both that look very similar in garden centres etc, are they really so diiferent, help please.
Ste

Re: Trachycarpus fortunei and chamaerops excelsa

Post by Ste »

I've seen it many times too. Personally I don't think there's any difference apart from the name. I think it's just a con for a selling point of view so people think they have 2 different palms. I have 6 Trachys and 1 chamaerops excelsa but I just say I have 7 Trachys.
tropical Tom

Re: Trachycarpus fortunei and chamaerops excelsa

Post by tropical Tom »

I'm sure they're the same. I seem to remember reading, the dutch first introduced them to europe and the were called Chamaerops excelsa, then only after that they were named after Fortune and took on the name trachycarpus fortunei, I'm sure someone will explain the full story icon_salut
Conifers
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Re: Trachycarpus fortunei and chamaerops excelsa

Post by Conifers »

Look at the leaf stalks. If they're smooth, it's a Trachycarpus, if they've got teeth, it's a Chamaerops.

Edit: Chamaerops excelsa is an inaccurate old name for Trachycarpus fortunei. If you see someone selling plants under that name, tell them they're breaking the Trades Descriptions Act with illegal labelling.
Dim

Re: Trachycarpus fortunei and chamaerops excelsa

Post by Dim »

I bought 6 chamaerops excelsa 3 years ago for a client

they were £10 each .... next to them were the exact same palms and they were labelled as Trachycarpus Fortunei

the only difference was the price (huge difference, as the palms labelled as Tracycarpus Fortunei were 3 times more expensive for the same size palms)....

and the excelsa had 3-4 palms in each pot, whereas the palms labeled as Tracycarpus Fortunei had 1

I posted on this forum asking the same question, and if memory serves me right, someone said that in Germany they called them Chamaerops Excelsa

these have survived with no problems whatsoever over the past 3 winters with no protection except for a thick mulch of well rotted farmyard manure added in late autumn
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cheshirepalms
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Re: Trachycarpus fortunei and chamaerops excelsa

Post by cheshirepalms »

The ones I saw labeled chamaerops excelsa seemed more leggy with longer branches and raggy leaves and the Trachycarpus fortunei seemed stronger, more stocky plants. However down the next aisle there were palms marked Trachycarpus fortunei that looked like the above description of chamaerops excelsa. This totally confused me and is why I asked the question. I'm happy with the purchase anyhow :D
grub

Re: Trachycarpus fortunei and chamaerops excelsa

Post by grub »

There is no difference, they're the same plant.
Nathan

Re: Trachycarpus fortunei and chamaerops excelsa

Post by Nathan »

Yes Chamaerops excelsa is an old name that was given to Trachycarpus fortunei, so any nurseries selling it under that name don't have a clue basically :lol:
tropical Tom

Re: Trachycarpus fortunei and chamaerops excelsa

Post by tropical Tom »

Open this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trachycarpus_fortunei and scroll down to "nomenclature" for an explanation icon_cheers
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cheshirepalms
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Re: Trachycarpus fortunei and chamaerops excelsa

Post by cheshirepalms »

Same plant then, thanks for the help. There are lots of differences even in individual plants though.
Nathan

Re: Trachycarpus fortunei and chamaerops excelsa

Post by Nathan »

cheshirepalms wrote:Same plant then, thanks for the help. There are lots of differences even in individual plants though.
Yes, Trachycarpus fortunei is extremely variable, which leads to many thinking they have got something 'different'...
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