Add tropical flair to your garden or home with this big, leafy plant.
Jason Donnelly
Fishtail palm trees feature compound leaves that reach large sizes, as does the tree itself.
Each leaflet on the enormous fronds feature ragged edges that resemble the tails of fish.
Credit:Jason Donnelly
Fishtail palms are toxic todogs, cats, andpeoplebecause they contain calcium oxalate crystals.
Where to Plant Fishtail Palm
Fishtail palm trees are tricky togrow as houseplants.
The biggest limiting factor is the tree’s ultimate size.
Credit: Paul Craft
Even smaller species can reach 20 feet tall, so any specimen will likely outgrow its space.
These trees are tough and slow-growing, so even in less-than-ideal conditions, your specimen will survive.
It will decline over time, however.
Credit: Edward Gohlich
Damp soil means you don’t need to water.
Indoors, you canadd a humidifier near the treeor place a tray of pebbles in water under its pot.
Keep plants away from air vents or drafty areas.
Credit: Paul Craft
If your home is kept between 65oF and 85oF, your tree will do fine.
Fertilizer
During the fishtail’s growing season, add fertilizer once a month after watering.
At a minimum, give your tree a slow-release fertilizer every few months.
Use fertilizer specifically for palm trees for best results.
Pruning
There’s no need to prune fishtail palms.
If you spot dead leaves, trim them off the tree.
You shouldn’t need to repot a fishtail palm more than every few years.
Gently slide it out of its container and move it to one a size bigger.
Don’t go too big, or water will collect around the plant and cause damage.
Pests and Problems
Fishtail palms don’t generally have pests.
In that case, try repotting with fresh soil and reducing the amount you water.
You’ll need gloves, snips, a shovel, and a pot.
Giant fishtail palm
Caryota gigasis the largest of the fishtail palms, growing 70 feet tall.
It will withstand temperatures to 28 degrees F and grows best where nights are cool.
Giant fishtail palm lives 25-30 years.
Clumping fishtail palm
Caryota mitisgrows 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide and prefers moist soil.
It usually sends up multiple stems or trunks.
It is sometimes grown indoors as a large houseplant.
Wear gloves when retrieving the seed or removing fallen fruit to prevent skin irritation.
Fishtail palms are fast-growing trees.
Once they’re established, these plants can grow 12 to 24 inches per year.
