Fishtail Palm, native to Indonesia, Asia, and the South Pacific, is a large plant that even as a houseplant or office plant can grow as tall as 6-10 ft. tall and 3-5 ft wide. These plants are poisonous and should be kept away from pets and children.
Fishtail Palm has fan shaped fronds with bipinate smaller leaves. This means that there is a main leaf stem on a Fishtail Palm but the leaves come off of a secondary stem. The leaves of a Fishtail Palm have jagged edges and are shaped like the tail of a fish. A flower stalk emerges from the tip of the trunk once the tree matures and it blooms in stages over the course of several years. Fishtail Palm requires a little more care than some other palms.
Most fishtail palms require a weekly water during the spring and summer and twice per month in the winter when the plant is dormant. Do not splash water on the foliage as it may induce disease. Moist as often as possible.
Fishtail Palms need very bright indirect light from an east or west-facing window. Avoid direct exposure to the sun.
Fishtail Palms grow best when planted in a fast-draining porous soil containing a large amount of organic matter.
Fishtail palms can be propagated from seed. Flowers on this palm tree contain both male and female parts so that a single plant can yield viable seed. To sprout palm seed, keep it warm and moist in a small pot for six to eight months. More commonly, plants can be propagated using suckers from the base of the mother plant. Remove them carefully with a bit of root and expect them to recover for several months before new growth emerges.Re-pot in the spring while they are young. In general, fishtail palms are slow-growing and will only need repotting every other year or so. It may not be possible to re-pot larger palms. In this case, scrape away the top several inches of potting soil and work new soil into the pot. Add plenty of porous drainage material to encourage good drainage.
Fishtail Palms prefer temperatures between 75-85 degrees during the day and 60-70 degrees at night. Try to keep a Fishtail Palm out of cold drafts and away from air conditioners.
