Robinson fan palm
Livistona robinsoniana
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A large palm with fan shaped leaves. It grows to 25 m high. The trunk is 20 cm across. The crown is dense. The leaf stalks are long and slender. The leaves are not cut or divided in their central part but are divided at the tips into drooping segments. The flowering stalks are shorter than the leaves. The flowers are very small about 2 mm across. The leaf stalks of the adult plant are without spines at least in their upper parts. Young plants have very small spines. The mature fruit are yellow to orange then black when ripe. They are 20 mm across.
There are 28 Livistona species.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows in tropical and subtropical regions. It benefits from some shade. They are widely distributed in forested areas of the Philippines. It grows in lowland rainforest.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Indonesia, Pacific, Philippines (country/location of origin), SE Asia
How it is used for food
The bud is eaten cooked.
Edible parts
Cabbage, palm heart
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seed. Seeds germinate readily in 2-4 months.
Its other names
Local names
Kayabing, Palem kipas robinson