Chamaerops Excelsa OR Trachycarpus?

[Sat]

I bought this palm from a Garden Centre today reduced from £20 to £10.

1) The label on it Chamaerops Excelsa , but can people confirm it is a Trachycarpus? So the lable on the plant was wrong?

2) Secondly when reaching home I noticed the leaves have were all straight so looks like the been cut with a scissor, see photos. Whats people views on this, will it affect the plant?

3) The plant has 3 dufferent trunks/ Stems, thus for me this represented a good value. But if it is a Trachycarpus can they be planted together?

[Dave Brown]

It is Trachycarpus fortunei, but has been multiple planted it will not sucker like true Chamaerops, but the write up is pure fiction. What a load of rubbish It is not a desert palm, and while it may take extreme low temperatures, it will not be happy with high temps. In terms of value, not bad as you have got 3 for the price of one. It looks like it has dried out and then the leaves have been trimmed to cut away the brown tips.

[Nick]

That's good 3 for a tenner, are you going to divide them now and plant them out as individuals?

[Sat]

Thanks Dave and Nick.

Is it best to divide and plant individually or plant together?

What would it look like if left together, anyone got a pic of a larger size?

If divide any special attention needed, or just try to get as much root on each Stem?

[Adrian]

Personal choice but I would plant them as they are. I have a double here that now has the crown above head hieght and it looks good IMO.
A trio at different hieghts will also look very good.

Some nurseries cut damaged leaf tips off to make the palms look better, I dont see this as much now as I used to mind.

[ElTel]

nice one well done.

its normally jezza who gets all the bargins

[themes]

Personal choice but I would plant them as they are. I have a double here that now has the crown above head hieght and it looks good IMO.
A trio at different hieghts will also look very good.

Some nurseries cut damaged leaf tips off to make the palms look better, I dont see this as much now as I used to mind.

remember that clumping thread. After seeing the photos of your trachys and Nigel Kimberley I planted two pots with three Trachycarpus seedlings in each of differing heights. Should look great in a few years. An update pic of yours Ade?

[khaskings]

Hello Sat,

I'm quite new here, but will venture my first piece of advice.

Trachycarpus leaves, once they reach a certain size, and dependant on their siting, are susceptable to damage from the wind resulting in leaves that look as though they have all snapped at the knuckle (for want of a better comparrison). The droopy ends and the point of damage become discoloured and it looks like the retailer has trimmed them at a jaunty angle to;
a) remove the brown bits which may make the plant look less healthy and less saleable
b) give the appearance of normal leaves by trimming them to a point as your photo shows.

I think this is correct.

Cheers,

Mike

[Danny Thomas]

The tricks of the trade!

[cai williams]

chamaerops exelsa is used to mean trachycarpus fortunei but should be counted as a wrong answer

[mixiepalms]

chamaerops exelsa is used to mean trachycarpus fortunei but should be counted as a wrong answer

ive seen chammies labelled as exeslia. not bad price i guess, wilkinsons have had that size for a fiver this yr. who cares bout latin names, will grow into a nice clump as ade has said. plant in next yr in srping, 5 yrs later and wow

[sanatic1234]

I totally agree with dave B it is a Trachycarpus F. It looks exactly the same as mine, leaf shape, colour, and texture, everything is the same. well say colour it did till the winter hit it, mine now looks a sickly darker green.

[mixiepalms]

I totally agree with dave B it is a Trachycarpus F. It looks exactly the same as mine, leaf shape, colour, and texture, everything is the same. well say colour it did till the winter hit it, mine now looks a sickly darker green.

sickly green = death nell