Exoten und Garten Forum               Hardy Palm and Subtropical Board


9,792,482 Messages displayed since 03/03/2007

Re: Takil / Nainital

Message from Jim in Iowa

The problem is,Nainital was found(where else)in Nainital
and misidentified as Takil by Gibbons & Spanner(the 2 experts
at that time),more than likely Nainital is plain Fortunei
that has grown in Nainital,it is possible but somewhat unlikely
that Nainital is a hybrid with Takil...and no one knows for sure
where it came from or how it got there,most likely planted by the English
plant explorers of the time in the botanicals gardens there...
If I recall correctly Nainital elv is around 6300-6600ft and
where Takil grows(in some areas)is 8000ft+ so it makes sense
that Takil would be hardier if seeds come from the higher altitudes...

More than likely many of the reniform seed group share some hardiness
traits but Fortunei and its clan(Nainital/Wagnerianus/T.Bulgaria etc)
grow in many areas,the mountain forms seen to have dense crowns
strong petioles and thick trunks but these palms have been domesticated
for so long that it is hard to determine their provenance..I believe
John from Co. was on to something when he made the observation tha
the ones with a strong SFH trait may demonstrate more hardiness-
this makes sense logically and remember they were testing leaf
hardiness in a lab not just going by what palm did what outside
where there are so many variables...these palms are so stunningly
adaptable that they can be hard to keep up with in any individual
setting.


Exoten und Garten Forum               Hardy Palm and Subtropical Board