Trithrinax campestris

Trithrinax campestris might be one of the very few species of palms that will survive up here. I like to do things properly, so I bought a "cold hardy palm seed sampler" at Tobias Spanner's (http://www.rarepalmseeds.com/sampler.shtml), sowed them and waited. Four small seedlings appeared eventually.

I planted three of the seedlings early in the summer 2009, but by Jove! They are slow to grow... End of the year it is 5cm or 2 inches tall in total. I have to optimize the conditions next year.

Preparing for the winter 2009/2010. You might just be able to spot the top of the seedling (to the right of the center) covered with spruce. I do not know if I am correct in securing access to a little sunlight during the winter.

One of the other seedlings dried out, I got afraid and repotted the third one. This is the fourth Trithrinax; it never left the pot, which was placed on our terrace at the south side of the cottage where temperatures on sunny days climb as high as 55°C/131°F. Considerably better growth there!

Late March 2010: The small seedling seems very dead indeed, possibly rot. I should have protected it with a bottle like two of my Sabals. I still have a couple of Trithrinax'es potted, but they too, struggle for their lives. I had used some peat in the soil, which is not a good idea, I have been told. They do not like the moist peat.

March 2011: The two potted seedlings did not recover. I will have to look for new seeds.