The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Actually there are seldom surveys investigating the invasibility of T.fortunei. I wanna ask the date that T.fortunei was introduced to NZ and the current condition (where and what number) of this species. In addition, is there any effective strategy to control T.fortunei? I really look forward for reply. Thanks.

Hi Xin,
Just to get the ball rolling: if you type "Trachycarpus fortunei NZ" into Google the first page gives several fact sheets. Then try that in Google Scholar too, this gave me 206 results including this one: http://researcharchive.lincoln.ac.nz/handle/10182/472 From there you may need a Sherlock Holmes kit but it should be an interesting journey, Good Luck.

Hi Xin,

According to the New Zealand Flora Series Vol. IIII (Healy & Edgar 1980) Trachycarpus fortunei was first recorded naturalised here in 1959 - however, all that date provides is a rough yardstick because I learned some years ago that what the Flora accepts as a "first record" is not necessarily so, e.g., Banksia integrifolia is recorded as first naturalizing here in 1991, when in fact the first record of this occurring wild in a N.Z. herbarium was a Rotorua collection made in 1987. I see you are based in Auckland, so for control measures why not ring the council? They have staff versed in plant and animal pest control.

Ciao

Peter

Healy, A. J.; Edgar, E. 1980: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. III. Adventive Cyperaceous, Petalous and Spathaceous Monocotyledons.Wellington, Government Printer

Now to the other questions - DOC files suggest Governor Grey first planted it on Kawau Island in the 1870s, and as to its distribution the New Zealand online Virtual Herbarium records it only from the North Island (see http://www.virtualherbarium.org.nz/map.2) BUT that will be an understatement I am sure because not everyone collects this species for herbaria BUT at least that data is backed up by herbarium evidence. This palm is of course fairly common wild in Auckland.