Giant mountain fishtail palm, Burma suwar
Caryota maxima

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A single stemmed palm. It has a thick ringed trunk. It grows 20 m high. The trunk can be 40-60 cm across. The leaves are large and compound and are twice divided. The leaflets are leathery and are fishtail shaped. The end one is fan shaped. The leaflets are 15-20 cm long. The leaflets are blunt and rounded and shallowly toothed at the tips. The flowering stalks are 3 m long. They hang down. The flowers are of one sex in groups of 3. They are cream. It fruits then dies. The fruit contain stinging crystals. The fruit is reddish pink and up to 4 cm wide with 1-3 seeds. The seeds are smooth and black.

There are 12 Caryota species. They are tropical.

Where it is found

A tropical and subtropical plant. It grows in mountains in N India and Thailand. It grows up to 1,000 m altitude. It can tolerate cold. It grows in open forest near Canton in China. They are widely distributed in the Philippines in valleys and on wooded hills. They are occasionally found in dense humid forests. It grows in Sydney Botanical gardens. It suits hardiness zones 9-12. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The starch of the stem can be processed for sago. The sap of the flowering stalk can be collected for toddy. The heart or terminal bud is eaten as a vegetable.

It is sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Seeds, sago, stem starch, sap, bud, cabbage, palm heart

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. Seed germinate erratically.

They are very fast growing with warmth and humidity.

Its other names

Local names

Cluster fishtail palm, Dei din, Dong zong, Guo zhu, Jin xian, Kyauk-minbaw, Takipan-tilos

Synonyms

Caryota aequatorialis (Becc.) Ridl.; Caryota bacsonensis Magalon; Caryota furfuracea var. caudata Blume; Caryota furfuracea var. furcata Blume; Caryota macrantha Burret; Caryota obtusa var. aequatorialis Becc.; Caryota ochlandra Hance; Caryota rumphiana var. indica; ? Caryota rumphiana var. javanica Becc.; Caryota rumphiana var. philippinensis Becc.; Caryota obtusidentata; ?