Trachycarpus fortunei ‘Columbus’

We are pleased to introduce yet another winter hardy strain of Windmill palm with an interesting history. Hardy palm grower, Larry Green, originally collected the seed near the Fant Estate in Anderson, South Carolina. Reportedly, Fant, a former missionary to China, brought the seed home and planted them in SC. Larry took the seed to his now former home at 2,700′ elevation in Sylva, NC where they were planted. Only 4-5 survived the first -2 degree F winter as unprotected seedlings. These were transplanted later when Larry moved to Columbus (just southeast of Asheville, NC) in 1996, where they thrive and produce seed, from which our plants are grown. Trachycarpus ‘Columbus’ matures at 20′ tall, adorned in winter with stalks of near black fruit, held at the top of the trunk with yellow-pedicelled stalks.