Windmill Palm Tree

Light Needs

Full Sun

(At Least 6 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

20-40 Feet

Mature Spread

15-25 Feet

Growing Zones

7 to 10

Windmill Palm Tree is the rare trunked palm that can handle cooler winters. Trachycarpus fortunei has a slender, fiber-covered trunk topped with dark green fan-shaped fronds that give it the familiar windmill outline. This slow-growing evergreen palm can reach 18 to 30 feet tall in many landscapes, with a compact crown about 7 to 10 feet wide. We recommend it for entry plantings and pool areas where a tall palm is wanted but space is not wide enough for a spreading canopy.

This eastern Asian palm is widely valued for its cold tolerance and adaptability in zones 7 to 11. The coarse trunk fibers help protect the stem, while the fan fronds stay attractive through much of the year with basic care. Windmill Palm Tree works well as a single accent, in staggered groupings, or in large containers while young. It is especially useful for courtyards, patios, and smaller yards where a tropical look needs to stay tidy.

Windmill Palm Tree Care

Plant Windmill Palm Tree in full sun to partial shade, with partial shade especially helpful in hot southern climates. It grows in sandy, loamy, or amended clay soils as long as drainage is good, and it tolerates acidic, neutral, or mildly alkaline soil pH. Choose a spot protected from harsh winter wind when planting near the colder edge of its range.

Water deeply twice a week during the first month, then reduce to weekly watering unless rainfall is steady. Established palms are moderately drought tolerant, but browning frond tips can mean the root zone has stayed too dry. Fertilize in spring, summer, and fall with a palm fertilizer that includes magnesium and micronutrients, and expect growth to slow during cold weather.

Pruning is minimal and should be limited to brown, damaged, or declining fronds. Avoid removing green fronds, since doing so can weaken the palm and slow recovery after winter. Young palms in cold regions benefit from a mulch ring, trunk wrap, and frost cloth over the crown during severe cold snaps.

Windmill Palm Tree Spacing

Space Windmill Palm Tree 7 to 10 feet from buildings, walks, and other palms when planting for mature size. For a grouped look, plant different heights close enough for the trunks to relate visually while leaving room for the crowns to expand. Use a heavy 20- to 25-gallon or larger container for young patio palms. Good companion plants include liriope, camellia, coral bells, or distylium in beds with filtered light, drainage, and evergreen structure.

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