Palme d'Or any climate : the palm hemp ( Trachycarpus fortunei )
It supports up to -17 ° C and thrives in warm, dry Luberon climates as well as in the humid Atlantic coast or in more continental regions, including Ile-de-France.
Particular signs: a trunk covered with a thick layer of dark brown fibers (hence its name), rounded fan palms , bright yellow or orange inflorescences giving a large number of seeds germinating easily. Height: 2-3 m in pot, up to 8-10 m in the ground.
To succeed: place it halfway in the south, in the sun or half-shade in other regions.
Water regularly in summer, especially if grown in pots.
In winter, you do not need to go under shelter. It supports without blinking the cold and the snow.
To discover: Trachycarpus wagnerianus , small version of the hemp palm, ideal for a plantation in pot. Identical culture and rusticity. This rare species is beginning to be proposed in many garden centers .