Caryota mitis

Caryota mitis, the clustering or Burmese fishtail palm, grows wild across tropical Asia, from Bangladesh and Myanmar through Indochina and southern China to Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Slender stems form dense clumps clothed in twice-divided leaves whose wedge-shaped leaflets end in a ragged edge, the 'fishtail' of its name.

Each stem flowers only once, opening its hanging flower clusters from the top downwards, but new suckers keep the clump alive for many years. Adaptable to sun or shade, it is a long-standing favourite for bright rooms as well as warm gardens.

At a glance

• Native range: tropical Asia, from Bangladesh and the Andaman Islands to southern China, Indonesia and the Philippines
• Mature size: stems usually 3–8 m, in bushy clumps
• Growth rate: moderate to fast
• Light: full sun to fairly deep shade
• Water: steady moisture with good drainage; moderate drought tolerance
• Cold hardiness: brief frosts of about −2 °C; about −3 to −4 °C is its limit
• Indoors / outdoors: thrives indoors in bright rooms and outdoors in frost-free gardens

Care

Keep the compost evenly moist but free-draining, and feed generously for the best colour. Indoors, watch for red spider mites and scale insects. Its roots are shallow, so outdoors choose a spot sheltered from strong wind. When a stem has finished fruiting it dies and should be cut out; younger suckers take its place.

Why Palmpedia: Greenhouse-grown by us in Almeirim, Portugal, and supplied in 15 L to 35 L pots.