Chinese Windmill Palm

Chinese Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) is the hardiest palm commonly grown in Australia. A single, fibrous, hairy trunk carries a head of pleated, fan shaped leaves, and a mature palm reaches 8m or more, though it grows slowly. It is the palm for gardens that get frost and wind, where most palms struggle.

Why you'll love it

• Exceptionally cold hardy. It shrugs off hard frosts that kill most palms, which makes it possible to grow a palm in cool gardens.
• Slender, tidy form. A single, upright trunk covered in dark fibre makes a neat vertical accent that uses little ground space.
• Wind tolerant. The fan leaves shed gusts, so it copes with exposed positions that would shred a tropical palm.
• Nine sizes. From a 200mm pack to a 750 litre specimen, you can start with a small palm or plant an instant feature.

Where it works best

Cool climate feature planting. Plant singly or in groups of three, 2m apart. The fan leaves give a tropical look without tropical cold sensitivity.

Courtyards and entries. Its narrow trunk fits small spaces, and it looks well underplanted with ferns, hostas or clivias.

Large pots. A young palm lives well in a big container for years, and can be moved to a sheltered corner in a harsh winter.

Growing Chinese Windmill Palm in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade. It thrives in cool temperate, warm temperate, Mediterranean and subtropical gardens, and tolerates frost and wind once established. In hot, humid tropical gardens it grows poorly. Shelter new plants from the harshest wind.

Soil. Adaptable. It prefers fertile, well drained soil with compost, but copes with a wide range of soils. Avoid permanently wet ground.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first two summers, then in long dry spells. Feed with a palm fertiliser in spring and summer, and mulch clear of the trunk.

Pruning. Remove old brown fronds only when they are fully dead, cutting close to the trunk. Cut off the seed stalks before the seeds mature, since the palm can self seed in suitable gardens and spread.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Chinese Windmill Palm as 200mm pots in packs of 6, 300mm and 400mm pots, and 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 750 litre bags. The 200mm pack holds six young palms, a thrifty way to plant a group, and the 300mm and 400mm pots are single young palms. The bags from 100 litres up to 750 litres are advanced and specimen palms with established trunks. Larger palms travel on specialist transport, and growth is slow.

Our growers do not hold every size all year, so a size can show as on backorder at times. An order for a backorder size is confirmed with you before anything ships.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse palm trees
• Guide to palm tree varieties
• Large palms for instant impact
• Frost hardy plants

Common questions

How cold can it take?

It tolerates hard frost once established, and it is regarded as the most cold hardy palm in common cultivation. Young plants should still have some protection.

How fast does it grow?

Slowly at first, then steadily. Expect a few years before a young palm builds a visible trunk.

Can it spread?

In some gardens it can self seed, so remove the seed stalks if you do not want seedlings.