Trachycarpus
Genus of palms
title: "Trachycarpus" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["trachycarpus", "arecaceae-genera", "dioecious-plants"] description: "Genus of palms" topic_path: "general/trachycarpus" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trachycarpus" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Genus of palms ::
| image = TrachycarpusFortunei.jpg | image_caption = Trachycarpus fortunei in China | display_parents = 2 | taxon = Trachycarpus | authority = H.Wendl. | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = Trachycarpus fortunei
Trachycarpus, is a genus of ten species of palms native to Asia, from the Himalaya east to eastern China. They are fan palms (subfamily Coryphoideae), with the leaves with a bare petiole terminating in a rounded fan of numerous leaflets. The leaf bases produce persistent fibres that often give the trunk a characteristic hairy appearance. All species are dioecious, with male and female flowers produced on separate plants although female plants will sometimes produce male flowers, allowing occasional self-pollination.
Cultivation and uses
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Arecaceae-zhejiang2005.JPG" caption="Stem of ''[[Trachycarpus fortunei]]'' showing leaf base fibres"] ::
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Palmtree_solomons.jpg" caption="Mature ''Trachycarpus fortunei'' in [[Solomons, Maryland"] ::
The most common species in cultivation is Trachycarpus fortunei (Chusan palm or windmill palm), which is the northernmost naturally-growing palm species in the world. Cities as far north as London, Dublin, Paris, Seattle and Vancouver have long term cultivated palms in several areas. The dwarf form, known as T. wagnerianus, is unknown in the wild, and is now considered synonymous with T. fortunei or treated as a cultivar of that species. It resembles T. fortunei closely, differing only in its smaller and stiffer leaves. Hybrids between the two are intermediate in size and fully fertile.
Trachycarpus takil (the Kumaon palm) is similar to T. fortunei and probably even hardier. Other species less common in cultivation are T. geminisectus, T. princeps, T. latisectus, T. martianus, T. nanus and T. oreophilus. Trachycarpus martianus and T. latisectus do not tolerate cold as well as T. fortunei or T. takil. Trachycarpus geminisectus, T. princeps and T. oreophilus are still too rare and small in cultivation to assess their full potential. Two additional species have been described recently: Trachycarpus ukhrulensis from Manipur and T. ravenii from Laos; the former is known from cultivation as Trachycarpus sp. "Manipur" or Trachycarpus sp. "Naga Hills".
The trunk fibres produced by the leaf sheaths of Trachycarpus fortunei are harvested in China and elsewhere to make coarse but very strong rope, brooms and brushes. This use gives rise to the old alternative name "hemp-palm". The fibrous leaf sheaths are also frequently used to clothe the stems of artificial palms.
This genus is very popular among palm enthusiasts for its ability to withstand cold, especially in the form of damp, cool summer weather with relatively mild winter weather. These palms often tolerate snow in their native habitats and are the hardiest trunking palms.
Trachycarpus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Paysandisia archon (recorded on T. fortunei).
Species
As of January 2025, the genus Trachycarpus comprises 10 accepted species. ::data[format=table]
| Image | Scientific name | Height | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| [[File:Trachycarpus fortunei-IMG 9402.jpg | 120px]] | Trachycarpus fortunei | 10 - 13 m |
| Trachycarpus geminisectus | 1-2 m | Northern Vietnam (and potentially border regions of Guangxi, China) | |
| Trachycarpus latisectus | 12 m | Sikkim | |
| [[File:Trachycarpus martianus - San Francisco Botanical Garden - DSC09964.JPG | 120px]] | Trachycarpus martianus | |
| [[File:Trachycarpus nanus Plant, Düsseldorf, Germany.jpg | 120px]] | Trachycarpus nanus | 0.9 m |
| [[File:Trachycarpus oreophilus - Val Rahmeh - DSC04398.JPG | 120px]] | Trachycarpus oreophilus | 9 m |
| [[File:Trachycarpus princeps.jpg | 120px]] | Trachycarpus princeps | 9 m |
| Trachycarpus ravenii | 6 m | Laos | |
| [[File:Takil Rom.jpg | 120px]] | Trachycarpus takil | 10-15 m |
| Trachycarpus ukhrulensis | 15 m | Manipur region in Assam, India. | |
| :: |
References
Bibliography
- Beccari, O. (1931). Asiatic Palms - Corypheae (ed. U. Martelli). Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. (Calcutta) 13: 1-356.
- Kimnach, M. (1977). The Species of Trachycarpus. Principes 21: 155-160.
- Meerow, A. W. (2005). Betrock's Cold Hardy Palms. Betrock Information Systems, Inc., Hollywood, Florida.
References
- H.A. Wendland in J. Gay, Bulletin de la Société Botanique de France 8:429. 1863(?) ("1861")
- Flora of China: [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200027121 ''Trachycarpus fortunei'']
- {{GRIN. ''Trachycarpus fortunei''. 36786
- (2013). "Trachycarpus in the Wild and in Cultivation". The Plantsman.
- (2012). "The Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms - Second Edition". Timber Press.
- (2006). "A new species of Trachycarpus (Arecaceae), with remarks on its unusual habitat". Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie.
- (2014-10-01). "Trachycarpus ravenii sp. nov. (Arecaceae, Corypheae) from central Laos". Nordic Journal of Botany.
- "Trachycarpus H.Wendl. {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science".
- "WFO Plant List {{!}} World Flora Online".
- Gibbons, M. (2003). "Trachycarpus geminisectus, the Eight Peaks Fan Palm, a New Species from Vietnam". Palms.
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