With stylish, triangular-shaped feathered leaves on slender, upright trunks, the fishtail palm moves beyond classic palm tree silhouettes. It is therefore recommended as a year-round greening of conservatories and living rooms. Since each leaf appears doubly pinnate and the palm fronds divide into several segments, the result is an extremely lush appearance. Most other palm species can hardly keep up. Anyone who decides to cultivate should be prepared to adapt to the rather atypical demands of a Caryota mitis. With the help of the following care tips, you can give your fishtail palm a species-appropriate home that it will share with you for many years.
Table of Contents
Characteristics
- Plant family of the palm family (Arecaceae)
- Genus Fishtail Palm (Caryota)
- Species within the genus (Caryota mitis)
- Native to Southeast Asia
- Growth height in room culture up to 3 meters
- Rare flowering from the twentieth year
- V-shaped, doubly pinnate fronds, 60 to 90 cm across
- Not hardy and evergreen
- Palm fruits contain toxic oxalic acid
The Caryota mitis trumps all other species within the genus with its multi-stem habit. Viewed from a distance, it evokes a small palm forest, which further enhances the ornamental effect of plump, tropical opulence.
Substrate
The cultivation of a fishtail palm is characterized by continuity in every respect. This includes, among other things, that she wants to stay in the existing substrate for as long as possible after the purchase. Therefore, if possible, do not repot your Caryota mitis when it moves into your home. Only when it gets too cramped in the bucket after a few years does it move to fresh potting soil. Commercial potting soil is basically harmless; According to the special requirements of a palm tree, the following substrate is more suitable:
- Peat-based palm soil from specialist shops
- Proprietary mixture of loamy garden soil, peat, compost and sand
- The addition of styrofoam beads or perlite improves permeability
A fishtail palm also does extremely well in hydroponics. However, this only works if it has already been raised in water. Experience has shown that the palm tree does not survive subsequent readjustment.
Tip : Hobby gardeners who do not like to use peat from an environmental point of view can choose a combination of wood and coconut fibers as an alternative to peat.location
In order to offer a Caryota mitis a perfect place in the house, a look at the natural conditions provides helpful information. In Southeast Asia, the palm thrives in sparse forests and along sun-drenched slopes in a typical monsoon climate.
- Sunny to partially shaded position
- A place by the east or west window of the room is ideal
- In the blazing midday sun, shading of the pinnate leaves is desirable
A fishtail palm loves warmth. The temperature in their environment should not fall below 15 degrees Celsius. 18 to 25 degrees Celsius is ideal, although it doesn’t cause any problems if it gets even warmer in the summer conservatory. The tropical tree likes to spend the warm season on the balcony or terrace. After an appropriate period of acclimatization, it even tolerates direct sunlight in this spot without affecting the rich green coloring of the fronds.
humidity
The reference to the native monsoon climate already indicates that the fishtail palm needs high humidity to thrive. An adequate value of more than 60 percent is achieved if you regularly spray the palm with low-lime water at room temperature. Filling the saucer with pebbles and water has a reinforcing effect, so that moisture constantly rises. Humidifiers and indoor fountains also make a valuable contribution to increased humidity.
watering & fertilizing
Hand in hand with an intensified air humidity, regular watering plays a major role in the water balance.
- Keep fishtail palm constantly moist
- Never let it dry
- Always use water that is low in lime
The substrate of a palm tree must not calcify. Experience has shown that conventional water from the tap is too hard to use untreated as irrigation water. Leave it at room temperature for a while before using it. You can reduce the lime content naturally by hanging a cotton bag with 1 liter of peat in the water tank. Ideally, you have a rain barrel, because collected rainwater comes closest to the conditions at a tropical location.
If you leave the Caryota mitis to itself for a few days, the root ball can be soaking wet. However, the palm tree does not get permanent waterlogging any more than most other indoor plants.
The fishtail palm is one of the fastest growing palms ever. The high energy consumption entails a corresponding need for nutrients. This is fulfilled by giving liquid palm fertilizer or green plant fertilizer every 4 weeks. The interruption for a growth break, as it is known from other indoor plants, does not take place.
To cut
The unusual habit indicates that blending is not necessary or desirable. Older fronds dry up over time and remain on the trunk until they are shed from the palm tree. Anyone who is bothered by this sight can easily clean up withered parts of the plant. The leaf is cut off immediately at the base, leaving a small stub of about 3 cm. In addition, there is nothing to prevent pruning if the Caryota mitis reaches a height for which there is no space available. Please consider the content of toxic oxalic acid in this palm tree with any care and pruning measures. You should not do without the protection of work gloves.
hibernate
A Caryota mitis is predominantly found in a consistent room culture, which implies uniform care. During the dark season, the reduced amount of light results in a minimized need for watering. From November to February/March the substrate surface may dry for a short time. Waterlogging has far worse consequences than a little dryness. At the same time, continue to fertilize the fishtail palm every 4 weeks, but at half the concentration.
Regular spraying with lime-free water is not subject to any restrictions in winter, which also reduces the risk of pest infestation. The mercury column must not fall below the minimum temperature of 15 degrees Celsius.
repot
Depending on growing conditions, repotting may prove necessary every few years. However, do not decide to take this step too early. A fishtail palm thrives particularly well when it is in a seemingly cramped pot. Only when the strong roots threaten to burst the pot do you repot the palm tree in spring.
- The new bucket is not significantly larger
- Drainage is important to protect against waterlogging
- Repot the palm and remove the used substrate
- After planting in fresh soil, it is watered abundantly
The richly branched root system must not be damaged when repotting. Be sure to avoid trimming root strands that appear to be too long. As a result, the fishtail palm does not survive this radical intervention.
Note: If pre-fertilized palm soil is used when repotting, do not apply fertilizer for the next 6 months.multiply
Since a fishtail palm only flowers and bears fruit under optimal conditions in the local latitudes after its 20th year, it does not multiply automatically. If you want more copies, you have two methods to choose from.
sowing
- Soak the seeds in lukewarm water for 24-36 hours
- Fill small growing pots with nutrient-poor soil
- Peat sand, perlite or pure coconut fibers are suitable
- Moisten the substrate a little and place the seeds on it
- Cover very thinly with a layer of growing substrate
- A minimum temperature of 24 degrees Celsius is required for germination
The closer the site conditions are to a warm, humid tropical climate, the faster germination occurs. The seeds should feel at home in a heated indoor greenhouse in a semi-shady place. Optionally, place each seed jar in a plastic bag. It is important that the substrate is permanently moist without causing waterlogging. Despite all efforts, it can take several months before life stirs in the palm seeds.
Ausläufer / Kindel
If lateral stolons form on an adult fishtail palm, which exactly resemble the mother plant, they offer themselves as first-class propagation material. Due to the growth advantage, with this variant you will not be kept in suspense for as long as you would with sowing.
- In the spring, use a disinfected knife to cut off individual offshoots to a length of 20 cm
- It is important to note that the offshoot has its own small root system
- Plant each child in a pot with moist coconut fibers or other growing soil
- Spend in the mini greenhouse or put on a plastic hood
In order for the offspring to thrive, it is placed in a warm, partially shaded window seat. Watered regularly and supplied with diluted liquid fertilizer from time to time, the first budding should appear within 4 to 6 weeks. When 1 to 2 fronds have fully unfolded, repot the young palm and then care for it like an adult specimen.
Avoid care mistakes
The carefully cared for fishtail palm develops a high resistance to diseases and pests. If she’s not well, you can diagnose and fix problems using the following damage patterns:
Brownish leaf tips
- Control the water and nutrient supply
- Mist the fishtail palm more frequently with rainwater
- Cut off dried tips to just above the healthy plant tissue
Yellow pinnate leaves and fronds
- A classic symptom of lack of light or water
- Reduce the amount of watering and move to a brighter spot
- The pH may be too high; therefore repot in fresh substrate
Palm fronds initially yellow, later turning brown
- A typical damage pattern when the sun is too strong
- Either change the location or provide shade
Fronds dry up completely
- This reveals waterlogging in the root area
- Repot immediately in a dry substrate and do not water for a few days
- If the trunks are already soft, the palm tree can no longer be saved
Control diseases and pests
In addition to failures in care, the following diseases and pests of a Caryota mitis sometimes cause problems:
Black crust on the leaves
This symptom leaves no doubt that the infection is caused by sooty mold. This fungal infection is transmitted by lice that excrete honeydew. In the first step, you should carefully shower the palm with as hard a jet of water as possible. As a result, combating the aphids is recommended, for example by spreading predatory mites. If nothing else works, systemic plant protection sticks are available in specialist shops. These are pressed into the substrate and fight the infestation from the inside.Countless nodules on the pinnate leaves
Such damage indicates the phoenix smut fungus. At an early stage of infestation, salvation may be removal of the infected fronds. If the disease is far advanced, however, the only thing left is disposal so that the pathogens do not spread throughout the entire plant population.White webs all over the palm
If the humidity drops in the immediate vicinity of a fishtail palm, the spider mites will strike without hesitation. The sucking and stinging pests particularly prefer the dry heating air during the winter period. In this case, a vigorous shower can already finish off the parasites. In addition, simply wipe off the infestation with a cloth soaked in alcohol. Counteract a high infestation pressure with predatory mites or lacewing larvae.Conclusion
If you are looking for an undemanding, decorative indoor palm, you cannot avoid a Caryota mitis. With its large feathered leaves in a striking V-shape, it lives up to its name, the fishtail palm. Your central care aspects are entwined around the rich water supply in the tropical warm place with correspondingly high humidity. If you spoil the exotic guest with a little fertilizer from time to time, you can be curious whether the palm tree will actually bloom after 20 years.
