Trachycarpus fortunei has been cultivated in China and Japan for thousands of years, for its coarse but very strong leaf sheath fibre, used for making rope, sacks, and other coarse cloth where great strength is important. The extent of this cultivation means that the exact natural range of the species is uncertain. The tallest reported in cultivation is tall, in a park at
Uhart-Mixe, in Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France. Due to its widespread use as an ornamental plant, the palm has become
naturalised in southern regions of Switzerland, and has become an invasive species of concern. In North America, mature specimens can be found growing in the coastal areas of the
Pacific Northwest, the
Upper South, and
Mid-Atlantic states. They can found growing along the West Coast from
California north to coastal southwestern
British Columbia, and along the East Coast from
northern Florida to coastal
Connecticut. Lower tolerance limits of are commonly cited for mature plants. The cultivar group
Trachycarpus fortunei 'Wagnerianus' is a small-leafed semi-dwarf variant of the species selected in cultivation in China and Japan. It differs in rarely growing to more than tall, with leaflets less than long; the short stature and small leaves give it greater tolerance of wind exposure. ==Nomenclature==