Scientific Name:
Caryota mitis
Pronunciation:
kair-ee-OH-tuh My-iss
Common Name:
fishtail palm
Family Name:
Arecaceae
Plant Type:
Indoor foliage plant
Key ID Features:
Clustered basal stems 4-8cm in diameter eventually form bamboo-like nodes, 2-4m tall (outdoor plants in Zones 9b-11 can grow more than double this size); leaves pinnately compound, blades 1-3m long with 9-23 leaflets per side, each is ragged looking with fan-shape tips that resemble a fish tail, 10-18cm long x 7-12cm wide; petioles 80-190cm long; separate reddish male and female catkins may emerge below the foliage.
Habit:
Upright
Form:
Vase
Texture:
Medium
Mature Height:
7 - 10m
Mature Spread:
4 - 5m
Origin:
S.E. Asia / Japan / China
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 9: (-7 to -1 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Part sun/part shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Well-drained
Water Use:
Moderate
Landscape Uses:
Indoor plant
Additional Info:
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Compound
Arrangement:
Spiraled
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible, Parallel venation
Surfaces:
Lustrous
Compound Leaf:
Bipinnate
Shapes:
Deltoid
Apices:
Rounded
Bases:
Cuneate, Oblique (uneven)
Margins:
Entire, Serrate
Inflorescence Type:
Catkin (ament)
Flower Morphology:
Monoecious plant
Number Of Petals:
3
Corolla Shape:
Campanulate
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
White
Flower Time at Peak:
May, Jul
Additional Info:
Indoor plants are unlikely to flower
Fruit Type:
Drupe
Fruit Colour:
Yellow, Red
Fruiting Time:
Jan, Dec
Additional Info:
Showy
Bark Morphology:
Smooth
Bark or Stem Colour:
Green, Brown
Propagation:
Seed
Optimal Temp.:
Medium
Light Level:
Medium
Maintenance:
High
Pest Susceptibility:
Fungal leaf spot, Mites, Scale insects
