Gebang Palm. Corypha palm, Sugar palm
Corypha utan

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

Corypha utan is an evergreen Tree growing to 18 m (59ft) by 4 m (13ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

Height (m): 18

Where it is found

Flat, low-lying land in woodlands and forests in monsoonal areas. Open grasslands, and along rivers and wetlands.

E. Asia - India, Malaysia and Indo-China to Australia.

Conservation Status: Status: Least Concern

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, East Timor, Fiji, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mayotte, Myanmar, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, South America, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, Venezuela, Vietnam

How it is used

Food

Rating: 3

A sweet sap is obtained from the inflorescence. This can be used as sugar or fermented into an alcoholic drink. Apical bud - raw, cooked with rice or pickled. Eaten raw as a salad, or cooked as a vegetable. Eating this bud effectively kills the plant because it is unable to make side branches. A starch obtained from the pith of the stem is used to make sago. The kernels of young seeds are eaten or made into sweetmeats.

Apical bud: Typically, the end of a shoot contains an apical bud, which is the location where shoot growth occurs.

Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Stem: this often intergrades into leaves.

Drink: not including plant saps, tea or coffee substitutes.

Sweetener: includes sugar substitutes.

Medicine

Rating: 2

The roots are demulcent, diuretic, emollient and stimulant. The roots are chewed in the treatment of coughs. The juice of the roots is used for treating diarrhea360]. A decoction of the young plant is used in the treatment of febrile catarrh . The starch from the trunk is used in the treatment of bowel complaints.

Antidiarrhoeal: Provides symptomatic relief for diarrhoea. Also see Astringent.

Antitussive: Prevents or relieves coughing.

Demulcent: Soothes, lubricates and softens irritated tissues, especially the mucous membranes.

Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.

Emollient: Softens the skin, causing warmth and moisture.

Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.

Stimulant: Excites or quickens activity of the physiological processes. Faster acting than a tonic but differing from a narcotic in that it does not give a false sense of well-being.

Other

Rating: 3

The leaves have a wide range of uses, including thatching for roofs and walls, weaving into baskets, mats, hats etc. The ribs of the leaves is used for making brooms. A fibre, known as 'buntal', is obtained from the leaf petioles. It is used for making Lucban and Baliuag hats, and for making rope. A very fine fibre is obtained from the unfolded leaves. Used for cloth, fancy articles and as a string. Fibres from the ribs of unfolded leaves are used for making Calasiao hats. The mature seeds are made into buttons or used as beads on rosaries.

Basketry: Plant used in making baskets and other items such as chairs. Includes plants that are only used as an ornamental addition.

Beads: Used as necklaces etc.

Broom: Used for sweeping the floor etc.

Buttons: Plants that can be used as buttons. Not including making buttons from wood.

Fibre: Used for making cloth, rope, paper etc.

String: Plants that can be used for string or can be easily made into a string. See also Fibre. Plants for ropes may be included.

Thatching: Used for making thatched roofs.

Industrial Crop: Fiber: Clothing, rugs, sheets, blankets etc. Currently, almost none of our fiber are produced from perennial crops but could be!

Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.

Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

Staple Crop: Sugar: Perennial sugar crops include sugarcane and compare favorably to annuals.

Industrial Crop: Fiber: Clothing, rugs, sheets, blankets etc. Currently, almost none of our fiber are produced from perennial crops but could be!

Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.

Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

Staple Crop: Sugar: Perennial sugar crops include sugarcane and compare favorably to annuals.

Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

Plants succeed in moist tropical climates where temperatures never fall below 10°c, the average annual rainfall is 1,500mm or more and the driest month has 25mm or more rain. They can also succeed in drier areas with an annual rainfall as low as 250mm and one month or more where rainfall is below 25mm. Plants grow well in full sun, even when small. Plants are monocarpic - living for many years without flowering, but then dying after they flower. Like all members of this genus, these palms only flower at the end of their life, sending up a massive inflorescence, up to 5 metres high, and with up to 1 million flowers. Plants are slow-growing when young.

Propagating it: Seed.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 11-12

Growth: Slow

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Bajur, Bajurgatul, Buoon cao, Buri palm, Gebang palm, Gewang, Ibus, Komolu Silag, Lan phru, Las, Lontar utan, Pe-bin, Pochok, Puchuk, Tali

Synonyms

Borassus sylvestris Giseke Corypha elata Roxb. Corypha gebang Mart. Corypha gembanga (Blume) Blume Corypha griffithiana Becc. Corypha macrophylla Roster Corypha macropoda Kurz ex Linden Corypha macropoda Linden ex Kurz Corypha sylvestris Mart. Gembanga rotundifolia Blume Livistona vidalii Becc. Taliera elata (Roxb.) Wall. Taliera gembanga Blume Taliera sylvestris Blume