Caryota obtusa (Giant Fishtail Palm, Thai Giant Fishtail Palm, Caryota Mountain Giant, Caryota Gigas.)
Botanical Information
| Family | Arecaceae |
| Genus | Caryota |
| Species | obtusa |
| Category | Tropicals, Woody |
| Type | Tree (evergreen) |
| Origin | Native to India, Laos and Thailand. |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Zone | 9b-11 |
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone | Requires cool season protection under glass. |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Zone | H1c-H3 |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | -6.7 -10 |
| Temperature (°F) | 20- 50 |
| Height | 20-25 m |
| Spread | 10-12 m |
| Growth | Fast |
Description and Growing Information
| General Description | The largest of the fishtail palms. |
| Landscape | General landscape palm. |
| Propagation | Propagated by seed, planted in warm soil. |
| Cultivation | Prefers full sun to partial shade and moist, loamy or sandy soil that is slightly acidic. |
| Notable Specimens | Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida, United States of America. |
| Habitat | Grows on plateau or in rain forest clearings. |
| Bark/Stem Description | The trunk is quite large for a palms, smooth, light grey in colour with leaf scars present. |
| Leaf Description | The green pinnate leaves are 6 m long and 3 m wide. |
| Flower Description | The small white/cream flowers are borne on the inflorescence. |
| Fruit Description | The fruit is obovate, 7 cm long and 4 cm in diameter. They are green but as they mature they turn red. |
Photographs
Caryota obtusa, form. Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida, United States of America.
Caryota obtusa, leaf. Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida, United States of America.