Trachycarpus martianus (Nepal)

Trachycarpus martianus, Martius' Fan Palm, is a tall slender palm, rather slow-growing compared to other Trachycarpus species and with very large symmetrical fan leaves which are typically split to about half their length. It has an elegant trunk that - when mature - slowly sheds the fibrous leaf-base matting that encases its trunk, however, in cultivation, these fibrous leaf-bases will typically cling to the trunk for many years just as they do for other Trachycarpus species. It has oval coffee-bean shaped seeds - like Trachycarpus latisectus - rather than the kidney-shaped seeds of most other Trachycarpus species.

First described in 1861, Trachycarpus martianus was virtually non-existent in cultivation until the important work done by Martin Gibbons and Tobias Spanner in the early 1990's. Two separate populations - one in North Central Nepal and the other in the Khasia Hills, Meghalaya Province, India were located. Since then, B.S. Kholia, working with the Botanical Survey of India has identified another isolated population to the west of the Teesta River in Southern Sikkim.

The plants offered here are from seed from the Nepal population. Often described as being more cold-hardy than the Khasia Hills palms, it is perhaps worthwhile to discuss their hardiness in more detail from the perspective of a grower. The most important question for growers is usually: how hardy are they? The answer is simple: not very. They have none of the extreme tolerance of Trachycarpus fortunei. In my experience Trachycarpus maritianus are comparable to - but probably less cold-tolerant than - Trachycarpus latisectus. In a warm sheltered microclimate with plenty of overhead protection in a London garden they will have a chance. Benefiting from the higher heat gradient of the urban area, Trachycarpus martianus should still be protected, particularly when young, during severe and prolonged sub-zero temperatures. In other favoured locations in the southwest - ideally near the frost-free conditions of the coast - it will also have a chance. Some people have reported their Trachycarpus martianus surviving to -8C or even -10C. These must be considered the very limits of their hardiness and unlikely to be emulated by most growers without considerable extra protection.

It is not a palm for the absolute beginner but if you live in a mild location and have a well-drained but relatively rich loam-based acidic soil it may be a very rewarding challenge for you to rise to. It will however, need to be grown in a pot for several years and toughened up before planting it out in its final position.