Trachycarpus martianus

Trachycarpus martianus.
This species is from the Himalayas and has some subtle aesthetic differences to T. fortunei that make it worthwhile growing for horticultural reasons. There are many genera of plants with species that are distinguishable only under a microscope and of interests to botanists or collectors alone, T. martianus though has just enough difference in character though to make it attractive to gardeners. It's most noticable difference is it's leaf shape which in silhouette is more rounded; the individual segments or 'fingers' of the leaf all finish neatly in an evenly radiating pattern. The leaf is also divided into these segments only about halfway down, giving a larger area of 'solid' undivided fan shaped leaf than T' fortunei, which usually has very deeply and more randomly divided leaves. T. martianus also drops its dead leaves more readily to reveal a slender smooth trunk. These differences make for a more refined, slightly more tropical looking plant which may be slightly less hardy that T. fortunei but otherwise have its easy to grow attributes.