table of contents
- Hemp palm grows slowly
- Palm growth in winter
- Affect growth rate
- Planting out
- Location
- Proper care
- frequently asked Questions
The hardy Chinese Hemp palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) is also often planted in our garden. You can read in our guide how fast a hemp palm grows and how you can influence the growth.
In a nutshell
- average trunk growth between five and 15 centimeters per year
- up to ten new palm fronds a year
- Specimens planted in the garden grow up to 30 centimeters per year
- stronger in full sun in the garden and in humus soil
- Water abundantly and regularly supply them with nutrients
Hemp palm grows slowly
In their homeland, the hemp palm reaches heights of growth between 12 and 15 meters, which it also quite quickly achieved: Growth increases of up to 30 centimeters per year are not possible under optimal conditions Rarity. Now these are in German gardens - especially when the palm is not planted out, but in a bucket is cultivated - only rarely given, so that growth in this country is much slower goes.
- Average growth per year: five to 15 centimeters
- up to ten new fronds per year
- optimal conditions in mild winter regions
- here with planted specimens up to 30 centimeters trunk growth possible per year
Tip: Hemp palms grow particularly quickly in regions with weather conditions similar to that of the Mediterranean. This applies above all to the German wine-growing regions along the Moselle and Rhine as well as to the North Sea coast.
Palm growth in winter
During the winter months, the palm does not completely stop its growth, it just slows it down. If the winter is mild and sunny, it can continue to grow in height during this time. If, on the other hand, it is cold and there is a lack of sunlight, the energy required for this is not sufficient for further growth. In regions with mild winters, hemp palms grow larger faster if only because the winters are shorter and milder - and the plants have more time.
Affect growth rate
Since the speed of growth in hemp palms depends on factors such as light, nutrient and water supply, you can influence it to a certain extent.
Planting out
So that your hemp palm grows faster, you should plant it out - provided, of course, that you live in a climatically suitable region. Hemp palms cultivated in pots grow due to the limited space for the root ball and the necessary regular supply of water and nutrients much more slowly than planted in the garden Copies. The latter can "draw on the full" and expand their roots to their heart's content. This ensures stronger roots and thus stronger trunk growth.
Even palm trees that have been kept in pots for decades can still be used to get used to them. It is important that the plants receive a lot of light in their new location and that the soil is as humus-rich and loose as possible. Mild winters are also beneficial, even if this species is very cold-tolerant and can easily cope with temperatures as low as minus ten degrees Celsius.
Tip: It only becomes dangerous when there is deep permanent and especially ground frost, as the fronds can freeze away. You should therefore protect the hemp palm when frost threatens, for example by packing the crown and trunk.
Location
In addition to freedom, light is also an important factor in how quickly a hemp palm grows. Hemp palms need a lot of sun in summer and winter, at least four hours a day. The exotic plants grow much faster in full sun than in partial shade. So if you are wondering about the slow growth rate of your specimen, it could be due to the lack of light. Place bucket palms in the sun or transplant palm trees that have been planted to a more suitable location.
Tip: But be careful: the ideal garden location is not only sunny, but also calm. In the new place, the wind must not be too strong, otherwise the fronds can be torn off or kinked.
Proper care
Furthermore, the speed of growth is also influenced by the correct care of the hemp palm:
- Bucket palms Transplant into a larger pot every two to three years
- Water vigorously in summer, less often in winter
- Do not let the root ball dry out
- Avoid waterlogging
- use nutrient-rich and well-drained soil
- fertilize with compost or palm fertilizer
- Supply tub specimens every two weeks between March and October
If the hemp palm grows too slowly, this is often due to a lack of water and / or nutrients. Pay attention to the tips of the palm fronds: Are they kinked or even discolored brown? Then the plant is too dry and has to be watered more often. The increased watering in turn stimulates first the root and then the trunk growth.
Tip: In winter, make sure that rainwater does not get into the palm heart: Too much moisture this place causes the heart to rot so that no new fronds are formed, and the palm tree comes in.
frequently asked Questions
Hemp palms are considered fully grown when their trunk has reached a circumference between 70 and 110 centimeters. You can recognize older specimens by the fact that their trunk is “naked” in the lower area. This means that the fibrous, brown layer has come off. When such palms stop growing in height, they have reached their maximum. Until then, however, several decades of growth will pass.
Older hemp palms have a stately crown of 50 or more fronds, and new palm fronds are formed every year if the specimen is not yet fully grown.
It is normal that recently planted hemp palms do not grow or grow only a little. They only put their energy into the root growth. Do not try to increase their growth rate by adding additional fertilizers. This can even be harmful in this case, as there is a lack of roots to absorb the nutrients. The only thing that helps is patience: by the next year of vegetation, your palm tree should also have taken root and then start growing above ground.
