More on Nannorrhops
By Robert Lackner, Burggasse 1a, 2405 Bad Deutschaltenburg, Austria
Chamaerops No.49 - published online 04-11-2004
Top row: The Trachycarpus just discovered in the Naga Hills.
Below: A densely clustering plant of Nannorrhops sp. showing off
its silvery leaves. Photo by B. Gutleb
We will soon know more about the hardiness of the so-called green form of Nannorrhops
in a central or western European climate. I will plant my large plant out this spring in one the hottest places
in my garden. Of this form I know definitely that a seedling survived at least -19°C and that my large plant
has withstood -9°C in January outside in a pot. It stood outside in January for an entire two weeks. There
is no doubt in my mind about the green form's hardiness, though that does not mean it is easy to grow
here in our humid, icy winters.
It is also almost certain that the blue/silver Pakistan form, popular in the trade as Nannorrhops sp. (Silver),
is much less hardy. I am not the only one who has had problems with its hardiness. The Nannorrhops form from Iran
is still a mystery so far. Apparently it grows in many different locations in Iran. Here is what was written on
the rarepalmseeds website when they had a small number of seeds available some years ago:
"Nannorrhops ritchiana "Iran" (=Nannorrhops Arabica) - Arabian Mazari Palm
'Lumpers' once reduced the number of species of Nannorrhops from 4 to 1. We are not entirely convinced! The Nannorrhops
ritchiana that we have been selling up till now is fast growing, and has broad, waxy seedling leaves [now generally
accepted in the trade as Nannorrhops sp. (Silver), whereas the green form from Pakistan and Afghanistan
is generally found in the trade as Nannorrhops ritchiana, and justly so. Ed.] whereas this very rare plant, recently
collected for us in Iran, has narrow, green seedling leaves, is slower growing, and is much more tolerant of both
cold and damp as well as drought. If you are looking for the hardiest, indeed probably one of the hardiest of
all palms, this is certainly the one to go for."
You can imagine that I and especially Toby Spanner and Martin Gibbons were quite surprised when the seedlings
came up extremely fast growing and had silver-blue leaves. I first assumed that Tobias and Martin were probably
betrayed by their collectors, but they swore the seeds came from Iran.
Later, a friend on mine (he lives in southern Austria) told me about the palms near Zahedan, Iran; they were also
blue and the temperatures there really get extremely cold, not only just for an hour at night, but often for several
days. He said the temperatures there can stay below zero °C for three or four days and that the lakes there
freeze. Generally however--apart from those heavy freezes--the climate there is warm and dry. Toby Spanner was
still very sceptical about this data when I told him.
The problem now is to find out where exactly the Iran seeds available through rarepalmseeds were collected. Does
an Iran form with green seedling leaves also exist or was this just wrong information? Maybe it is the same problem
with the Iran form(s?) as with the Pakistan forms; maybe some more and some less hardy blue/silver Nannorrhops
forms exist and one would have to know exactly where they come from. That vast differences in hardiness exist
within the same species is also a fact with other desert plants, such as Dasylirion and Agave, for instance. Some
Dasylirion wheeleri provenances tolerate -23°C without any problems whereas others suffer severely at just
-15°C. I think this might also be the case with Nannorrhops. Maybe plants from lower elevations tolerate only
light frosts whereas plants from colder locations are very hardy. But who will be able to find out?
What I can do is to try one plant after another. First I'll try the green Pakistan form. If it grows fast enough
outside and if it can cope with our winters, then I'll try the next form (and so on and so on). But even that
will not prove that all plants from Iran have the same hardiness.
I know that IF there was a hardy Nannorrhops for Central and Western Europe then it would certainly be one of
the nicest looking really hardy palms (compared to Sabal minor or Rhapidophyllum for instance). On the other hand,
I am very sceptical that any Nannorrhops would be really hardy here. Even if it would be hardy to the temperatures
then it will certainly dislike the humid winters in central Europe. At the moment I am almost certain that no
Nannorrhops can grow here unprotected. But I hope I'm wrong.
Please also see Chamaerops issue no. 45 for more on this subject
Zahedan, Iran, elevation: 1369 m, 29°28N, 060°53E
Populations of the Nannorrhops sp. Iran with short, silvery-white, seedling leaves are said to grow
near here.
Lowest recorded temperature in °C (years on record: 9):
Year |
Jan. |
Feb. |
Mar. |
Apr. |
May |
Jun. |
Jul. |
Aug. |
Sep. |
Oct. |
Nov. |
Dec. |
-20 |
-20 |
-8 |
-8 |
--- |
3 |
6 |
11 |
12 |
2 |
-2 |
-6 |
-11 |
Average number of days below 0°C (years on Record: 9):
Year |
Jan. |
Feb. |
Mar. |
Apr. |
May |
Jun. |
Jul. |
Aug. |
Sep. |
Oct. |
Nov. |
Dec. |
31 |
11 |
6 |
1 |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
4 |
8 |
Quetta, Pakistan, elevation: 1600 m, 30°15N, 066°56E
Populations of the classic, hardy form of Nannorrhops ritchiana with long, green seedling leaves grow near here
in the Bolan Pass below 1300 m. Seeds available in the trade come from the Harnai and Nakus areas further north
where they grow to 1500 m or, according to one source, even to 1675 m.
Lowest recorded temperature in °C (years on record: 60):
Year |
Jan. |
Feb. |
Mar. |
Apr. |
May |
Jun. |
Jul. |
Aug. |
Sep. |
Oct. |
Nov. |
Dec. |
-19 |
-16 |
-13 |
-9 |
-2 |
1 |
-1 |
8 |
7 |
--- |
-5 |
-12 |
-19 |
Average number of days below 0°C (years on Record: 10):
Year |
Jan. |
Feb. |
Mar. |
Apr. |
May |
Jun. |
Jul. |
Aug. |
Sep. |
Oct. |
Nov. |
Dec. |
87 |
24 |
15 |
3 |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
4 |
16 |
22 |
Climatic data compiled by Federico Oste. Selected and commented on by the editor.
Source: Qwikcast.com http://www.weatherbase.com
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