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The Chinese Windmill Palm's greatest claim to fame is its cold tolerance, growing as far south as Hobart and often seen covered in snow. It can also handle all the summer Melbourne has to offer with minimal care.
The Chinese Windmill likes full sun and well-drained soil and dislikes soggy conditions. It is drought tolerant and handles moderate exposure to salt. The Chinese windmill palm is well suited to containers if the drainage is good and is well fed, and would be a notable addition to any decking or al-fresco area.
In the garden the Chinese windmill palm grows to 10-15 metres (taking up to 100 years) with a trunk of 20-35cms wide. This narrow trunk makes it ideal for suburban and landscape use. Though moderate to fast growing in the sub-tropics, it grows approx 30cm per year in colder climates. There are about 6 species of Trachycarpus; Fortunei is the most common. This palm has no spikes and almost no serrations and is not dangerous to handle.