Caryota urens (Fishtail Palm)

Common Names: Fishtail Palm, Jaggery Palm, Toddy Palm, Wine Palm, Solitary Fishtail Palm, Kitul Palm.

Botanical Name: Caryota urens L.

Synonyms: Nil.

Distribution: Native to India & Sri Lanka.

Uses:

Adds a striking tropical accent to landscapes with its unique bipinnate fronds and elegant, tall stature.
Commonly used as a specimen tree in large gardens, parks, and avenues.
Ideal for creating vertical interest and focal points in landscape designs.
Popular in resort and hotel landscapes for its exotic appearance.
Leaves provide strong Kittul fibre used for ropes, brushes, brooms, and baskets.
Dark coloured oval seeds used for making buttons and occasionally strung as decorative beads.
Sap from the floral peduncle collected for sugar production or fermented into an alcoholic beverage (toddy).
Nut applied for hemicrania, traditionally believed to cure half-head pain.

Caryota urens (Fishtail Palm)

An evergreen palm tree growing up to 15 m tall. Stems straight, unbranched, transversely annulated. Leaves pinnate, up to 5 m long; pinnae about 10 pairs, subopposite. Flowers unisexual, in interfoliar spadices; male flowers solitary or mixed with female flowers; female flowers subglobose. Fruits ca. 2.5 cm in across, globose, 1-2 seeded.

Cultivation: Grows well in full sun to partial shade, preferring well-drained organic soils with reasonable fertility. Propagation is through seeds.

Etymology: The genus name “Caryota” is derived from the Greek word karyotos, meaning date-shaped nut, referring to the fruit’s resemblance to a date. The Latin specific epithet “urens,” meaning stinging, refers to the irritant properties of the fruit pulp, caused by the presence of oxalic acid.

Note: The Caryota species are the only palms with bi-pinnate leaves.