Some years ago we bought a Trachycarpus Wagnerianus or Miniature Chusan Palm. Quite a mouthful really so it goes by the nickname of Tracky Waggy.
I can't remember when we actually bought it. The first photo I can find was taken in 2004 but by then it had made considerable growth - it was only a tiny baby when we bought it - it lived in a small plant pot for a quite a while and for a few years spent winter in the greenhouse. The photo below was taken in 2005 and shows it in its summer position.
The shape and size of it meant that it became difficult to negotiate through the greenhouse doorway and also needed a larger pot so in 2008 it was planted in the wooden tub and left to take its chances outdoors.
The photo below was taken in January 2009. Rather than a baptism of fire it had a baptism of frost!
Below the photo taken in May 2010 shows it flourished outdoors.
Over the years it has certainly had all manner of weather thrown at it.
It has proved itself to be a really tough cookie.
Each year the bottom leaves become tatty and brown and are cut off so that gradually the trunk grows. At nesting building time the birds are often seen tugging at the hairy covering on the trunk.
This year though something very surprising happened. First we (well Martyn actually) noticed some large bumps appearing at the base of the leaves. They were flower buds - lots of them and gradually these developed into trailing flowers.
We didn't realise that this palm produced flowers - I guess we should have as most palms do. Anyway it was a surprise event.
Apparently there are male and female trees. I'm guessing ours is female as there doesn't appear to be any pollen although with such tiny flowers it's difficult to decide whether these below have stamen or stigma
A male and female is needed to pollinate the flowers so unless there is a nearby prospective partner and unless that one is male and ours is female I don't expect we'll see any fruits or seeds. The flowers are now over and we certainly haven't seen any fruits this year. It will have to join our plot kiwi and form a plant lonely hearts club!
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Awesome pose Sue
ReplyDeleteThank you Linda
DeleteWhat a lovely plant and amazing that you don't have to protect it in winter. Bless it for not having a partner!
ReplyDeleteIt's certainly a toughie, Anna
DeleteTrust you to call it Tracky saggy! (whoops the spell checker changed it, I will leave it in !) Having met you recently I can just hear the word rolling off your tongue!
ReplyDeleteI really did not expect it to be so hardy up here in the cold north. I love your great picture of the frosted fan.
It's real name is such a mouthful, Roger so it has an affectionate pet name. We didn't think it would be so hardy either but it has come through the worst of winters - so far.
DeleteAnd I bet you call Paeonia mlokolsewitshii Molly the witch.
DeleteI had to look that up three times to spell it right... I hope!
Never heard of it so no idea how it is spelled but I think I'd call it Loko Witch
DeleteTracky waggy????? Brilliant!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a little trouper it is to survive all that. My palms, tree ferns and bay all died back in the snow and took ages to throw new shoots up.
What interesting looking flowers.xxxx
Our tree fern died completely when we had the really bad winter a couple of years ago, Snowbird but I have restored it See this post
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