Forest & Kim Starr
Family
Arecaceae
Botanical Name
Caryota mitis
Plant Common Name
Burmese Fishtail Palm, Fishtail Palm
General Description
Named for the unusual shape of its leaf segments, this small to medium-sized, clump-forming palm from Indian to Southeast Asia is grown for its lush immense fronds. Its stems are monocarpic, each individual trunk dying after flowering and fruiting.
The enormous, arching, evergreen fronds are borne atop slender gray trunks laced with black hairy fibers. Each frond comprises numerous broad, somewhat triangular, rich green leaflets, borne in two ranks along a midrib (or "rachis"). The leaflets have fringed tattered tips, reminiscent of a fish's tail. The fronds are held on long leaf stems ("petioles"), whose bases remain attached to the trunk for several years after the leaves drop. Older trunks may produce chains of purplish flowers in cascading tentacle-like clusters. Flowering continues for a year or more, with inflorescences emerging sequentially from top to bottom of the trunk. Inflorescences contain both male and female flowers, the latter giving rise to round purple fruits that resemble small grapes. Birds consume the fruits. The fruits contain caustic compounds that can cause skin damage and pose other risks (http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/Caryomi.htm). Trunks die after fruiting, but others grow to take their place.
Grow this palm in partial shade in moist, humus-rich, slightly acidic soil. It will tolerate full sun if given adequate water and shelter from wind. It endures a degree or two of frost. Use it as a dense hedge or screen or as a lush backdrop for a tropicalesque mixed border. It is lovely clumped in a lawn, provided dead trunks and wayward shoots are removed.
Ornamental Features
-
Flower Interest
Showy
-
Flower Color
Purple, Ivory
-
Fruit Color
Purple
-
Foliage Color (Spring)
Light Green, Dark Green
-
Foliage Color (Summer)
Light Green, Dark Green
-
Foliage Color (Fall)
Light Green, Dark Green
-
Foliage Color (Winter)
Light Green, Dark Green
-
Bark Color
Light Green, Gray
-
Fragrant Flowers
No
-
Fragrant Fruit
No
-
Fragrant Foliage
No
-
Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
-
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Repeat Bloomer
Yes
-
Showy Fruit
Yes
-
Edible Fruit
No
-
Showy Foliage
Yes
-
Foliage Texture
Bold
-
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
Yes
-
Showy Bark
No
Special Characteristics
-
Bark Texture
Smooth
-
Usage
Feature Plant, Hedges, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
-
Sharp or Has Thorns
No
-
Invasive
Sometimes
-
Attracts
Birds
-
Self-Sowing
Yes
