Family: Arecaceae
Common Name: Fishtail palm

Comprising around 12 species of palms, this genus is native to the tropics of Asia and Malaysia, and the Cape York Peninsula of Australia. Unlike other genera of palms, it has bipinnate leaves, and the leaf segments have a distinctive, roughly triangular shape, hence the common name, fishtail palm. The fruits produce quite an irritant juice and should not be eaten. Fishtail palms are valued as ornamentals, particularly in the tropics, and also make attractive indoor plants. Under the right conditions they can grow very fast. For example, if grown in the tropics, the single-stemmed species can occasionally pass through their whole life cycle in only 15 to 20 years.

Species

C. mitis, clustered fishtail palm, originates from Southeast Asia and the Philippines. The most cold-tolerant of the species generally cultivated, it has 2 m (6 ft) long, graceful leaves, with reasonably widely spaced, asymmetrical leaflets. It is clump-forming, with masses of densely packed stems, spreading to around 1.5 m (5 ft) in diameter at the base. The stems vary greatly in height, the tallest reaching 6-8 m (20-26 ft).

C. rumphiana grows widely in Malaysia and also extends into northern Queensland. A solitary-stemmed palm, with huge leaves, it grows to heights of 20 m (65 ft) or more, although it is not cultivated as often as the other species listed.

C. urens, jaggery palm, is a native of India and parts of Southeast Asia. Also solitary-stemmed, this species is widely grown in the tropics for its ornamental value, as well as for sugar and alcohol production in its native habitat. It has a smooth, stout trunk, rarely more than 10 m (33 ft) in height, and a large, rather heavy-looking crown owing to the densely packed, semi-pendulous leaf segments. Mature palms produce huge inflorescences, comprising a spectacular drape of green, flower-bearing branches, sometimes up to 5 m (16 ft) long. The inflorescences are produced successively further down the trunk until the tree dies.

Cultivation

In most parts of North America, fishtail palms are grown in intermediate to warm greenhouses or conservatories, or as house plants in warm rooms. Grow them in pots or tubs of soil-based potting compost and while they need maximum light they should not be subjected to direct sun. Fishtail palms can be propagated from seed, which germinates fairly easily if fresh, needing a temperature of 27°C (81°F). C. urens clumps can be divided, but the divisions can be slow to re-establish.

Climate

Zone 10 and above.