Windmill palm
Trachycarpus fortunei
Also called Chusan palm and Chinese windmill palm
Garden plant · Ferns & palmsThe hardiest palm most gardens can grow — H5, through -15°C — and the shaggy brown fibre wrapping the trunk is insulation, not neglect. Leave it on.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Easy
- Water
- Once a fortnightWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Full sun to light shade
- Feed
- Not needed
- Humidity
- Low
- Hardiness
- Hardy — a cold winter RHS H5, to -15°C
- Size
- 5 m tall · 2.5 m across
- Lifecycle
- Tree
- Origin
- Central and eastern China
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsSafe for pets
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-08-05.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- The newest spear in the centre pulls out with a gentle tug and smells sour at the base — the older fans around it still look perfect.Crown rot after a wet winter · disease
- The fans split back to the hub along every fold. Cosmetic, and it is the wrong reason to cut them off — the plant is still feeding through them.Wind-shredded fans · disorder