Fauna
Plant

Burmese Fishtail-palm

Caryota mitis

Also known as Clustering Fishtail Palm, Fishtail Palm, Clustered Fishtail Palm

Burmese fishtail-palms form dense, multi-stemmed clumps of slender trunks crowned by bipinnate fronds with distinctive ragged, wedge-shaped leaflets resembling torn fish fins. Each individual trunk is monocarpic, flowering progressively from the crown downward over several years before dying, while new suckers continuously replenish the cluster from the base. Widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical landscaping, clumps frequently escape into shaded forest understories and hammocks.

TropicalClusteringOrnamental
Burmese Fishtail-palm reference1 / 7
(c) Rainer Breitling, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preySunlight, water, and soil nutrients via photosynthesis
Predators
  • Palm weevil larvae
  • Spider mites
  • Frugivorous birds
ThreatsHabitat clearance in native ranges; treated as an invasive weed in non-native subtopics
HabitatsTropical rainforest understories, disturbed woodlands, hammocks, and coastal secondary growth
Life span20–30 years per clump (individual stems die after flowering)
Classification
  1. OrderArecales
  2. FamilyArecaceae
  3. GenusCaryota
  4. SpeciesCaryota mitis
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskHigh
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is high
Fruits contain calcium oxalate crystals; avoid skin contact and never ingest wild berries.
Why it is dangerous
Fruits, foliage, and sap contain sharp calcium oxalate raphide crystals that cause severe contact dermatitis, burning skin irritation, and painful oral swelling if chewed.
How to recognize a risky encounter
Look for dangling strings of round green to dark reddish-purple berries hanging below distinctive fishtail-shaped foliage.
What to do
Wear thick gloves when clearing fallen fruit or trimming fronds, and keep curious pets and children away from the berries.
Responsible observation
  • Leaf Shape: Look for uniquely jagged, fan-split leaflets resembling fishtails along bipinnate fronds.
  • Fruit Cautions: Wear protective gloves if pruning fruiting stems to prevent painful oxalate rashes.
  • Growth Habit: Distinguish it from solitary relatives by its multi-stemmed, suckering base.
Related species
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