Caryota urens (fishtail palm, toddy palm)

The fishtail palm prefers tropical rainforest climates and can be found in Southeast Asia and parts of South Asia. It thrives in altitudes up to 1500 meters and can tolerate extreme minimum temperatures of -3°C.

Fishtail palm

Caryota urens, also known as the fishtail palm or toddy palm, is a large feather palm native to South and Southeast Asia. It thrives in tropical rainforests and can reach up to 1500 meters in altitude. This versatile plant is valued for its sap, which is used to make wine and sugar, as well as its trunk starch, leaf sheath fiber, and edible heart. It is a monocarpic and monoecious palm with solitary terminal flowers.

Caryota urens

India

Other Information: - Caryota urens is commonly known as fishtail palm or toddy palm. - It belongs to the Other utility grouping. - This plant is native to South and Southeast Asia, specifically tropical rainforests, especially primary forests, up to an elevation of 1500 meters. - The extreme minimum temperature this plant can tolerate is -3°C. - The sap of the fishtail palm is used for making wine and sugar, with each tree producing around 20-27 liters of sap per day, which is of excellent quality. - The trunk of the plant yields starch, with each tree producing around 100-150 kilograms of starch. - The leaf sheath of the fishtail palm is a source of fiber. - The heart of the plant is edible. - The fruit skin of the fishtail palm contains stinging crystals. - This plant is casually cultivated, with a focus on wine, sugar, starch, and local products. - It is a monocarpic and monoecious plant. - The fishtail palm is a solitary terminal flowering feather palm. - It is unimproved, referring to the fact that it has not undergone significant selective breeding or genetic improvement.

S. and SE Asia: tropical rain forest, esp. primary forest, to 1500 m. Extreme minimum temp -3°C.