Fishtail Palm (Caryota mitis)

Caryota Mitis, also known as the “Cluster Fishtail Palm,” is a stunning addition to any decor. With its elegant, fan-shaped leaves and lush green appearance, this houseplant brings a touch of tropical beauty into your living space.

I. Appearance and Characteristics

Caryota mitis, known as the clustering fishtail palm or fishtail palm, is a species of palm native to Tropical Asia from India to Java to southern China, now sparingly naturalized in southern Florida and in parts of Africa and Latin America. The species was originally described from Vietnam in 1790. In Florida, it grows in hummocks and in disturbed wooded areas.

Caryota mitis has clustered stems up to 10 m (33 feet) tall and 15 cm (6 inches) in diameter. Leaves can be up to 3 m (10 feet) long. Each leaf is made of many pairs of leaflets shaped like tail fins that give this palm its name.

Flowers are purple and grow on hanging spikes. Its fruits turn dark purple or red when they are ripe, they are harmful to humans. The tree slowly deteriorates not long after it bears fruit.

The fruit of C. mitis is saturated with raphides, sharp, needle-shaped crystals of calcium oxalate. The raphides are strong irritants that cause damage and later itching upon contact with skin, and if ingested, the mouth. This is a result of the physical structure of the raphides, and not any chemical reaction.

II. How to Grow and Care

Sunlight

Give your palm bright, indirect sunlight during the growing season. You can move it outdoors for the summer, just keep it out of direct sun.

Humidity

Give this tropical native the humidity it craves. It’s a good idea to use a humidity gauge near your palm, rather than guess. Indoor air can become extremely dry, especially during the winter months. If relative humidity drops below 50%, stand the pot on a humidity tray or use a cool-mist room humidifier.

Temperature

Average to warm temperatures, preferably 65°F/18°C at night and up to 85°F/29°C during the day. Palms don’t like the cold. Protect your plant from cold drafts near doorways and AC vents.

Watering

Caryota mitis should be watered plentifully, as often as necessary to keep the soil thoroughly moist, but never allow pot to stand in water. Potted Caryota mitis are not likely to have well defined periods of growth and rest, but growth may be slow during the autumn and winter periods. In period when plants appear to be growing slower than usual it is advisable to allow the top 1cm (0.3 inch) of the potting mixture to dry out completely before watering.

Soil

All-purpose, good-quality potting mix. Add a little sand to the potting soil to speed up drainage. Use a ratio of 3:1 potting mix to sand. Use horticultural sand, not the type from the beach, which contains salts and impurities that can damage palms.

Fertilizing

Feed once in early summer with a slow-release fertilizer.

Pruning

Doesn’t require pruning as such, but worth removing dead or damaged leaves to keep the environment clear for good growth.

Propagation

Sow seeds in spring or summer in fresh potting medium. Don’t bury them — palm seeds germinate best when they are barely covered. Keep them warm and moist. Use a seedling heat mat, if needed to maintain a minimum 70°F/21°C while seedlings sprout. Offsets can be carefully cut away from the plant and potted in separate containers.

III. Uses and Benefits

Cultivated mainly as an ornament plant in Cambodia, where it is named tunsaé töch, traditional healers burn the heaps of felted hairs from the leaves’ axils to treat ill limbs of patients.

Its trunk pith can be extracted to make a kind of flour that has similar properties like sago.

In Cochinchine, Vietnam, this plant were used as a wedding gate in the past before 2000s