A beautiful, fast-growing palm, trachycarpus, better known as 'hemp palm', can adapt to most gardens thanks to its amazing hardiness. To propagate it from seed, you need some know-how. Let's see how to proceed.
Characteristics of Trachycarpus
Obtaining seeds from Trachycarpus is more complicated than it seems because this plant is dioecious, meaning that a male and a female subject are required within a limited area for the palm to form seeds. These are carried by the female plant after pollination with male flowers. Therefore, two plants are needed in the same garden or in close proximity to each other for fertilization to take place.
How to recognize a male hemp palm from a female hemp palm?
The male palm blooms in spring. It appears in the form of very dense hanging clusters of cream-colored flowers that produce a lot of pollen that falls as soon as the inflorescence is touched.
The flowering of the female subject is less spectacular and intervenes a little later. The flowers look like small yellowish grains, again placed in clusters on the inflorescence.
How to pollinate a trachycarpus?
As you have probably understood, the ideal would be for you to have a female and a male subject in your garden. If this is not the case, you will have to collect pollen from the male flowers in your nearest garden or park, or even go to a website specialized in palms in order to find an amateur near you who will be ready to give you the famous pollen.
Equipment needed:
- A paintbrush;
- a small iron box;
How to proceed?
Wait until the male palm is well developed and then take a tin can or a glass jar and a brush;
Shake the inflorescence on top of your container to make the pollen fall in;
You can use the brush if necessary;
Close the container to avoid losing the pollen during transport if the two subjects are far apart;
A female flower is optimally receptive to pollination within 12 to 72 hours after opening, so you should aim for the right moment. Finally, if possible...
With the brush, take the pollen and pass it delicately on the female flowers;
Keep some pollen to repeat the operation for 3 successive days to maximize your chances of success.
After the pollination of the trachycarpus
All you have to do is wait for the seeds to form on the female plant. If this is the case, your artificial pollination is successful! Then wait for the seeds to mature before sowing them in a pot containing a very light mixture of potting soil and river sand.
Place the seeds in full light and water so that the substrate never dries out completely.
Over time, change the pot to accommodate the growth of the plant and then install it in the garden in the spring two years later.
