Trachycarpus fortunei "Tesan"

[garryendson]

As we see , regular T.fortunei imported into Europe is very thin with pretty long leaves on the European market.By comparison,Tesan is a cultivated variety of T.fortunei based on seed breeding and selection decades ago before brought into the experimental cultivation which showed that they demonstrate better hardiness and grow more robustly than T.fortunei.The growing result in Beijing and Tianshui, Gansu Province indicated that they withstand -20C to which we did not see any surprise. The following gives some explanation.
First glance at its huge seeds can tell the difference. Tesan seeds are 2-3 times bigger than T.princeps and even much bigger than those of regular T.fortunei(Chusan). That is what all people growing them said as some Americans said they were bit of like blueberry. Big seeds means they have better nutrition feeding the offspring well which is another factor they are growing stronger than its thin and floppy counterpart.Also it is an indicator as some people said that bigger seeds mean they are growing from the colder area.It is true based on my travel across the country seeing different palms in numerous places.But still even in the same place, we can still see the seed variety makes very big difference in their appearance,though nutrition may play a role in this respect.
Tesan leaves are stiffer and compacter because the surface are thicker ,thus better protecting from the cold damage to the leave.
Likewise, its hair on the trunk is far thicker as well making a fatter trunk. Most importantly, its original source is the northermost and they have survived a very long time of cold in this condition and the palms show somewhat difference in its look and cold hardiness.

Take a look at how others' different growing results of 2-3 years history

Useful links

http://www.palmsociety.org.uk/forum/top ... picid=1990

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load ... 51898.html

[Serkan]

yes, but the problem, here in france with the trachycarpus palms is that we have a great number of "fortuneï" varieties, completely mixed together. for example, here in the south-west when you make a sowing of seeds from a single trachy (very common here), you easily obtain a display of varieties.
And the seeds are also very variable in shape.
but it's very interesting, thanks.
I don't now if my english is really correct, sorry

( ou, mais le problême, ici en france avec les trachycarpus, c'est que nous avons un grand nombre de variétés de "fortuneï, complêtement mélangées.par exemple, ici dans le sud-ouest quand on fait un semis d'un simple trachycarpus (tres commun ici), on obtient facilement un assortiment de formes.Et les graines sont aussi de tailles trés variables. Mais c'est tres interessant, merci.

[garryendson]

Yes, I believe in what you said.
Trachycarpus is such a variable palm under and That is why we got dozens of varieties from different places .Some say all trachycarpus varieties or species belong to T.fortunei and diverge into dozens of the current available varieties we see today due to the diversity of geographical ,topographical and environmental factors as well as human interference.So it is no surprise that you could find a range of different varieties with district features,

but the point is what features do the offspring from the seeds we collect? and are they the features we want? So we need to spend efforts and time in breeding as to select the required characteristics we like.

It is known to all that T.wagnerianus is a cultivation variety specially selected for the desired traits of compact and stiff look and good hardiness. Though no such variety is reported in China, it is still possible to see some variegated Trachyarpus which might be or look like T.wagnerianus with very small and stiff leaves I came across sometimes.
By variegation, it happens anytime beyond human control giving us big surprise,though little could be provoked by us through high-teck.
Some variegations are inheritable and stable passing down to the next generation and some are not posing big challenges to the artificial breeding and selection.