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NANNORRHOPS

Nannorrhops ritchiana is an odd, blue/silver-leaved fan palm from Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and possibly some other surrounding countries.  It grows as a scrubby palm in very arid or mountainous areas in habitat, but in cultivation may make a magnificent and bizarre multiple-trunked specimen under the right conditions.  It is extremely cold-hardy, having withstood temperatures down to -27°C/-17°F in Tennessee.  But it will often perish at much higher temperatures (around -9°C/16°F).  This may be due in part to the genetic variability of this species, plants from certain parts of its range being more cold hardy than others (for example, a form from Iran with green leaves is supposed to be much hardier to cold and wet).  Most plants in cultivation are from seed collected in southern Afghanistan or Pakistan.

Nannorrhops seems to prefer arid climates and should be tried extensively east of the Cascades.  Its success in such places as Grand Junction, Colorado would suggest that it is much more cold tolerant in dry climates.  West of the Cascades it is less well adapted, and the winter rain and lack of light may be a problem.  Certainly it should be planted in very coarse grit and kept as hot and dry as possible in maritime climates.  It is said that Nannorrhops "seems to need to struggle to perform well" and certainly it is very tough.  A well grown Nannorrhops is magnificent and people should not be so easily put off by it just because it does not fit some usual palm stereotypes.

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