Palms   Trachycarpus princeps

Common Names:
Stone Gate Palm

Conservation Status:
Unknown

Distribution & Habitat:
Found only in a couple of small, isolated areas of western China, in the extreme north-west of Yunnan, which is nearly at the meeting place of the borders of China, Tibet and Burma. It grows on sheer limestone cliff faces overlooking the the Nu Jiang river (or "Angry River", previously known as the Salween River), which has its headwaters in the Himalayas and finishes in the Gulf of Martaban in Burma.

Description:
A medium sized, solitary fan palm, to about 7m tall, and the trunk up to 20cm across, with large rounded leaves, up to 60 leaflets, and a white, waxy underside to the leaves, even on seedlings.

General:
Said to be the most attractive of the Trachycarpus, but very rarely seen in cultivation because its seeds are so hard to obtain.

Culture:
Sunny, moist, but well drained position. Probably quite cold tolerant.
Seed might need scarification (cold treatment) before it will germinate.

 

Figure 1. T. princeps leaf detail

Figure 2. T. princeps showing the beautifull undersides to the leaves.

Figure 3. T. princeps in habitat, on the cliff face.

Contributed by:

James Verhaegen, Euro Palms (Figure 1,2&3)

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