Caryota obtusa

Thai giant fishtail palm
Fast growing and grand. Unsurpassed for exotic impact. Resembles giant tree fern. Protect from chronic winds.
Caryota obtusaCaryota obtusa
height 30–50ft
width 20–30ft
tolerates Cool Summers, Moist Soil
water
needs		 High
water
info		 This palm appreciates consistent water, but doesn’t want to have soggy feet. Once it’s established, be sure to water it when the top inch or two of the soil is dry. Usually this will mean watering deeply every five to seven days during the dry season. Planting this palm with good drainage will help to make sure it doesn’t accidentally get overwatered.
hardy
to		 28F
exposure Part Sun – Full Sun
indoor
outdoor		 Outdoor
drainage In Ground: Cactus Mix, In Pots: Cactus Mix
fertilizing Palm Fertilizer
origin SE Asia
california
native		 No
sunset
zones		 16, 17, 19–24

Sunset Zones Map

Outdoor Exposure Guide

OUTDOOR EXPOSURE GUIDE

Full Sun
Six or more hours of sun beams directly landing on the plant's leaves.

Part Shade
Three to five hours of sun beams directly landing on the plant's leaves.

Part Sun
One to two hours of sun beams directly landing on the plants leaves.

Full Shade
The plant is never fully lit by sun beams, but is in a bright spot or has dappled sunbeams playing over the leaves throughout the day.

Deep Shade
The plant never has dappled light on the leaves, and is in a place that feels dim, even on a nice sunny day.

SUNSET ZONES MAP

Growing Notes

This solitary palm will grow only one trunk during its lifetime. If you have a pot with multiple trunks in it, that’s because multiple separate palm trees were germinated in the pot. The good news is that you won’t need to thin out suckers over time to maintain the number of trunks you started out with.
Once it’s mature, this palm will naturally shed its leaves, leaving the trunk below the palm’s crown exposed. A great choice if you’re looking for a palm with a clean trunk but don’t want to deal with manually removing the leaves.
Palms are generally heavy feeders, so if you want them growing quickly and looking their best, they should be fertilized at least three times a year. Fertilizing at spring equinox, summer solstice and fall equinox will allow for a winter rest. Be sure to feed your palm with a fertilizer that contains micronutrients, especially if you see yellowing leaves or yellow spots on the leaves.
This palm is monocarpic, meaning that once it is fully mature and blooms it will die. Don’t worry, this takes several decades. The upside of monocarpic palms is that they are very fast growing, giving almost immediate impact in the garden.

Special Interest

This palm’s juicy lush look is an absolute must-have when creating a tropical garden in a temperate climate. Mix it with other broad-leafed flowering plants like cannas, hedychiums, philodendrons, or monsteras.