Windmill Palm Tree
The Windmill Palm Tree, scientific name Trachycarpus fortune, is one of the most popular palms because of its cold hardiness that makes is perfect for landscapes in USDA zones 7-11. The Windmill Palm is also known as Chusan Palm and Chinese Windmill Palm. It is native to central and eastern China.
Growth Rate: Slow to Moderate
Height: up to 15 – 20ft
Light Req: full sun to some shade
Water Req: moderate
Cold Tolerance: down to 10 – 20F
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Windmill Palm Tree Description
Trachycarpus fortune has a slender single trunk that is around 8 to 10 inches in diameter. The trunk is covered with a loose mat of coarse gray or brown fiber and is a bit narrower at the base. Windmill is moderate growing palm that can reach 20 feet in height, but is often seen much smaller, 10 to 20 feet tall. Growth rate is about 1.42 feet per year.
The Windmill Palm has palmate, sword-like leaves that are 4 ft in diameter. They range from dark green to yellow-green in color that seem almost silvery on the underside. Leaves grow upward more so than outward. The petiole is about 1 ½ feet long and armed with sharp thorns.
The Windmill Palm is dioecious, male and female flowers are borne on separate plants. In the early summer Windmill Palm produces large plumes of yellow flowers on the male plants and greenish on the female plants. Flowers are held on 3ft long branched stalks. Later flowers of the female plants transform into bluish-black fruits that are about 1/2 in (1.3 cm) in diameter. The fruits get ripe in the mid fall. The Windmill Palm fruit is not edible.
For more photos click here Windmill Palm Pictures.
Growing Windmill Palm
It prefers partial shade. This fan palm is a cold hardy palm that can tolerate cold down to 10 – 20F when mature.
This palm should be watered faithfully. The Windmill Palm likes moist and well drained soil. Enough moister in the soil speeds up plant growth and improves the appearance. Although Windmill Palm is very drought tolerant, irregular watering and drought will slow its growth rate dramatically. For the best results, water it every other day, for the first three months, and weekly for the remainder of its first year.
Windmill Palm Tree Fertilization
Slow-release palm fertilizer with minor elements should be applied during the growing season. Excessive fertilization may cause the tips of lower leaves to turn brown and die. One of the products that I personally love is Annual Care Kit for Palms by TreeHelp. This product is great, because it promotes root development and the long-term vitality of all types of palms. It lasts up to a year, won’t burn the roots and has all the nutrients your palm trees need.
Windmill Palm Propagation
Propagated by seeds. Windmill palm seeds will germinate in 8 to 12 weeks without a lot of fuss. Sow seed at 75°F in spring or fall.
Windmill Palm Tree Pets and Diseases
Very few insect and disease problems exist to endanger growing Windmill Palm trees. Scales and palm aphids are pests that usually cause problems for Windmill Palm. Windmill Palm may be infected by root rot, moderately susceptible to lethal yellowing disease, and leaf spots. For more details on how to treat your Windmill Palm click here: Palm Tree Insects.
If you Take a look at the picture on the left, you will see Windmill Palm covered in snow. What a great shot!
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Most importantly, you will receive a tree in perfect health and wouldn’t have to worry about it dying few weeks later. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee or you money back. To purchase a Windmill Palm Tree, click on one of the links below:
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My roof was replaced last March and the roofer had to cut the top of the Windmill Palm Tree because it was touching the gutters and roof. As of this April the tree is not looking too good and only has about 6 palms on it. Is there any way for me to save my beautiful tree?
Thanks for visiting my site. Your palm is in shock. It is important to keep green and half dead leaves because palms move nutrients from the older fronds to the new growth. Your palm shouldn’t die but it needs some time to recover. Don’t fertilize it, just keep watering. It will come back after few months. I hope this helps. Susan.
Hi Jody. Sorry to hear about your palm. You palm tree is probably in shock. There is nothing you can do. Just keep watering it. It should come back. Susan.
Considering these palm are cold hardy, can I possibly plant one in my yard? I’m in Salt Lake City and since it does snow I’m afraid that the poor palm might die of freezing temps but will this one die?
It does get in the 20’s when in Dec-Jan but can I ‘cover’ it with Christmas lights so keep it just a little warm?
Thanks.
i have always loved palm trees. i live in western nassau county on long island, new york. i just purchased a windmill palm and a saw palmetto because they are cold tolerant and can survive here. the winters are not so bad except for the past winter when we got an unusual amount of snow. how do i winterize both plants and what to do in the upcoming fall and winter months. the windmill palm is 3 ft. tall and the saw palmetto is about 12 inches. i would love to get more for my back yard, but i want to see how these turn out. we are in zone 7 according to the map.
My windmill is 8 years of age. Started sping and summer with healthy frond growth. Just recently all fronds browned and up coming are brown as well with slow growth. Can you help.
Gary
My windmill palm is doing the same thing as Gary Giles palm. I need HELP!
jERRY
Palm tree check list.Drainage plant palm in raised bedding for the win.Water plant routinly first two years after planting every 2 days or so when no rain for best growth rate.Spray water round 3-4 feet around trunk to promote root growth out.After first two years of promoting root growth you can cut back watering to every 4-7 days depending how dry it gets.But always for best growth rate more water is better in good drainage.Fertilize early spring and late fall so twice a year is fine.Miracle gro 1008991 works great.check top frond after winter to see if any rot is taking root.Cut rotted material out.I use copper fungicide to kill fungas if any.There are a few homemade versions if you do some searches.You almost have to be a surgeon at this point with your palm if you see any rott.Bugs smell decaying matter and start feasting so every day or two you need inspect the top fronds for bugs wanting to feed and kill what you see .Least until new growth is out and no fungas and bugs anymore. I live in seattle wa every 4-7 years there is a very cold winter which can really wreck havoc in some of the varities of palms I grow.Takil/windmill usually no problems when established mediterranean,brahea armat,sabal,jubeas need babying in these 0-15 degree winters.You can use christmas lights around trunk and on fronds for heat source.Or good burlap wrapping or bag over top fronds during severe times.Some go to the extremes and hook up fround heaters.Or if some iffy varities they have in pots and move in garage or greenhouse.Just depends how crazy you wanna get into the summer look.I like low maintenance as far yard work so I stick with the hardiest varities windmill/takil/palmetto.I hope this helps PALM TREES are awesome! Plant Other cold hardy tropical looking plants in you’re yard aswell.I seem to get alot of people who slow down and do a double take.While I drink a cold one and feel like im in california.