Caryota mitis 'Variegata' - Variegated Fishtail Palm - 15- 25 cm plant

A charming variegated form of the well-known Caryota mitis. The classic fishtail palm is a very beautiful, like all Caryota quite fast-growing palm of comparatively moderate size. It grows as a dense clump of slender, brown stems, with slightly overhanging, as with all Caryota species, very unusual, double-pinnate leaves. The individual leaflets are fishtail-shaped. Like all other Caryota and also the closely related Arenga species, each stem flowers only once. Bead-like, strongly branched inflorescences then appear from the top to the bottom of the stem. Like Arenga and Wallichia, the fruits contain oxalate crystals that cause a strong burning sensation when touched. Caryota mitis is widespread in South Asia and is a very popular garden and park tree, especially in the tropics. It is also frequently found as a pot plant. The fishtail palm is a very suitable and quite robust houseplant. It does best in a warm, bright place, but not in direct sunlight. It can tolerate cool temperatures for a short time, but hardly any frost and some dryness in the air. Under good conditions it grows very quickly.