The Fishtail Palm Tree, scientific name Caryota mitis, is native to Southeast Asia and India. This palm is cold hardy down to 15F and can be grown in states like Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Oregon, and Texas.

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Fishtail Palm Tree Info

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Scientific name: Caryota mitis

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Common names: The Fishtail Palm is also known as Clustered Fishtail Palm.

Family: Arecaceae

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Origin: It is native to Southeast Asia and India.

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Appearance: The Fishtail Palm has a multi-stem grey trunk. Each stem has 8 to 10 bi-pinnate leaves that can be up to 9ft long. The leaflets are shaped like fishtails therefore the palm’s common name is Fishtail Palm.

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Flowers/Fruits: It produces beautiful creamy flowers that grow among the leaves. Flower stems about 12 inches long are followed by tropical-looking green fruits that turn dark red as they ripe. The fruit has a round shape and is about ¾ inch in diameter.

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Growth Rate: Moderate. This moderately fast-growing palm can get up to 10 – 20 ft tall and 5-10 ft wide.

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Outdoor/Indoor Use: Both.

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Cold Tolerance: The Fishtail Palm can tolerate cold temperatures down to 15F. It is great for growing in the USDA zones 8b (15 to 20 F) to 11 (above 40 F).

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Light Req: Shade to partial shade.

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Water Req: It requires a lot of water with good drainage.

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Maintenance: Easy. To prevent nutritional deficiency, apply good quality palm fertilizer that has continuous release formula twice a year during the growing season.

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Propagation: The Fishtail Palm is propagated by seed and can also be propagated by division of clumps and separation of suckers from the parent clump. It takes around 4-6 months to germinate.