Clustering fishtail palm Caryota mitis

The fishtail palm is a member of the palm family (Arecaceae) from Southeast Asia, where it is most often found in moist organic soil over limestone in mesic hammocks and disturbed wooded areas. The genus name is from the Greek, karuotos, meaning “nut-bearing.” The species epithet is a Latin word meaning “mild” or “unarmed.”

The fishtail palm is sometimes used as an indoor ornamental in a container with rich soil and prefers medium light and low to medium relative humidity. Water the plant only when the soil is dry. It does best in warm climates and will tolerate a light frost but is not cold hardy. The plant has shallow roots and should be protected from wind.

The plant can reach a height of 40 feet with clustered, unbranched stems. New stems (“suckers”) are produced at the base of the clump. The leaves are large, long-petioled, arching, and bipinnately divided into leaflets which are widest above the middle (fan-shaped to fishtail-shaped) and irregularly toothed at the apex. The purple flowers are small and bloom in the summer and the fruit is a fleshy berry. The fruit is toxic and causes dermatitis in sensitive individuals. Do not handle crushed or broken fruit. Do not allow children or pets to consume the fruits. Curiously, flower stalks appear from the top of each stem first, with subsequent inflorescences arising from lower and lower nodes. After the last inflorescence is produced from the lowermost node of the trunk (sometimes at ground level) the entire trunk dies. As this palm has multiple stems, the plant continues to live and produce more suckers. 

The fishtail palm is used as a specimen or accent palm, but because it produces dense clusters of stems, it is also used as a screen or hedge. It is grown as a houseplant in temperate regions.

Quick ID Hints:

• Small to medium, clumping palm.
• Smooth, gray bark on stems 4 to 6 inches in diameter.
• large bipinnately compound leaves; leaflets 4 to 9 inches long. 
• Shaggy fibers cover the petioles and leaf sheaths, but no spines.
• 1/4 inch wide, pale purple flowers that initially appear at the top of the stem. 
• Fruits are small, round berries that ripen from yellow-green to reddish black.

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:  Monitor for spider mites and scale when grown indoors. They can be a serious problem for this plant. It is also susceptible to lethal yellowing disease. The fruits are poisonous and are harmful to children and pets. Severe skin irritation can occur if the fruits are eaten or handled.