Caryota maxima ‘Himalaya’ / Fish Tail Palm

Description

Caryota maxima is endemic to China. It grows in nature up to an altitude of 2200 meters. As its name suggests, this is a very large palm tree, up to 33 m tall, with a very long smooth crown. The leaves are dark green, with hanging leaflets. Tree: single, upright, up to 30-33 m tall and 30 cm. in diameter, older palms fringed with slender, widely spaced leaves. Leaves: Double, double, up to 5 m. long, with dull green, hanging leaves that grow in one plane. The leaflets are obdeltoid and promarine. Flowers and fruits: Inflorescences are massive, 1-1.5 m long with many drooping branches with staminate flowers and pistillate flowers on the same inflorescence. The fruits are up to 2.5 cm. long and pink to deep reddish-purple when ripe. It thrives best in the tropics. For cooler areas, however, Cariota makima var. “Himalaya”, would be a better choice. Growing location: Full sun, moist, well-drained position. Withstands up to -8°C (probably even lower).

Soak the seeds in water for 24 hours and then plant them in a container with peat or place the seeds in a wet tissue, sand, perlite or vermiculite, and when the seeds germinate, plant each seed individually in the container.