Chinese fan palm, Fountain palm
Livistona chinensis

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A solitary palm. The trunk is 15 m tall and 20-30 cm across. It is rough with leaf scars. The leaves have leaflets like fingers on a hand. The leaf stalks are 1.8 m long. There are spines that curve back along the edge. The leaves are almost round in outline. They are 1.2-1.6 m across. They are divided into 50-90 segments. These hang down at the tips. The flowering stalks are 1 m long. They are branched 3 times.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical plant. It grows in coastal forests often on sandy soils. In XTBG Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, China, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Guam, India, Indonesia, Japan, Nauru, Marquesas, Marshall Islands, Mayotte, Micronesia, Myanmar, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Rotuma, SE Asia, Taiwan, USA, Vietnam, West Indies

How it is used for food

The young immature flowering shoots are cooked with meat.

Flowering shoots are sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Flowering shoots

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds.

Its other names

Local names

Buar-pui, Palem kipas cina, Tayok-htan

Synonyms

Chamaerops biro Siebold ex Mart.; Latania chinensis Jacq.; Livistona chinensis (Jacq.) R. Br.; Livistona japonica Nakai ex Masam.; Livistona mauritiana Wall. ex Mart. [Invalid]; Livistona oliviformis (Hassk.) Mart.; Livistona subglobosa (Hassk.) Mart.; Saribus chinensis (Jacq.) Blume; Saribus oliviformis Hassk.; Saribus subglobosus Hassk.;