Caryota obtusa
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Contents
Habitat and Distribution
Caryota obtusa is native to Thailand.
Description
Mature height: 60 feet, Mature spread: 18', Leaf type: bipinnate. This tree will reach maximum height in about 25 years. Flesh of seed and trunk is caustic to touch and should be handled with care.
Culture
Sunlight: full sun, Water: keep moist, Cold Tolerance: 27° F.
Comments and Curiosities
This is a monocarpic species.
First described way back in the 1840s by William Griffith from northeast India. We know that there is a huge Caryota there, which, from photographs, seems indistinguishable from the huge Caryota of S Yunnan, Laos and northeast Thailand - these ranges are near enough to each other to suggest a contiguous distribution, probably also in Burma. The population in China was called C. urens in the Flora of China but is very obviously not that species. In Thailand the palm was called C. gigas by Don Hodel. It is my belief that the NE Indian, Chinese, Lao and Thai populations are one and the same and should therefore probably be called C. obtusa. However, to complicate matters there is a second large Caryota in northeast India, and who is to say that this one is not the true C. obtusa! We need a very careful revision of the genus based on extensive field work.
- IMAGE GALLERY
Caryota obtusa (or C. gigas) to the left, with C. maxima ‘Himalaya’ to the right. Khayang village.
Manipur, India.
Manipur, India.
Xishuang Banna, China. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Maguan, China. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Xishuang Banna, China. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Montgomery Botanical Center, Florida. Photo by Dr. John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Montgomery Botanical Center, Florida. Photo by Dr. William J. Baker, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Tao (Rang Ya), Thailand. Photo by Dr. Paul Wilkin, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Thailand. Photo by Dr. Paul Wilkin, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Thailand. Photo by Dr. Paul Wilkin, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Thailand. Photo by Dr. Paul Wilkin, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Tao (Rang Ya), Thailand. Photo by Dr. Paul Wilkin, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Montgomery Botanical Center, Florida. Photo by Dr. William J. Baker, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Montgomery Botanical Center, Florida. Photo by Dr. William J. Baker, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Palmweb.
Ba Na Nature Reserve, Vietnam. Photo-nybg.org
Brusseau Garden, California, photo by Paul Craft
Coastal So. California.
Gold Coast, Hinterland, Queensland. Photo by Daryl O'Connor.
Gold Coast, Hinterland, Queensland, Australia. Photo by Daryl O'Connor.
Cooran, northern end of the Sunshine Coast region, southeast Queensland, Australia. Garden of John and Jeanne Price. Photo by Wal Donovan
Cooran, northern end of the Sunshine Coast region, southeast Queensland, Australia. Garden of John and Jeanne Price. "Newcal adds a little scale to this Caryota gigas trunk" Photo by Daryl O'Connor
Cooran, northern end of the Sunshine Coast region, southeast Queensland, Australia. Garden of John and Jeanne Price. "That Caryota gigas was a monster...the new spear was about 6" thick!" Photo by Daryl O'Connor
Cooran, northern end of the Sunshine Coast region, southeast Queensland, Australia. Garden of John and Jeanne Price. "Another large Caryota obtusa." Photo by Daryl O'Connor
"Last week I got an early morning tour of the landscape at Disney's Animal Kingdom. This is in the new 14 acre Pandora section. It is based on the Avatar movie. They have done a spectacular job with the landscaping using many, many unusual and odd plants. They have also added "fake" alien plants and the blend is seamless. The detail of this park is just incredible. I will post other pics in a separate thread. This section of Animal Kingdom just opened up in the last month. One of the main plants that have used is Caryota obtusa. They have planted over 200 specimens in this area. In another year when they have grown out from the transplanting it will be awesome. One of the best groupings is next to the water fall where they have underplanted them with Cyathea cooperi, what a great combination". Orlando, FL. Photo by H.P. Leu Gardens Botanist Eric S.
"Last week I got an early morning tour of the landscape at Disney's Animal Kingdom. This is in the new 14 acre Pandora section. It is based on the Avatar movie. They have done a spectacular job with the landscaping using many, many unusual and odd plants. They have also added "fake" alien plants and the blend is seamless. The detail of this park is just incredible. I will post other pics in a separate thread. This section of Animal Kingdom just opened up in the last month. One of the main plants that have used is Caryota obtusa. They have planted over 200 specimens in this area. In another year when they have grown out from the transplanting it will be awesome. One of the best groupings is next to the water fall where they have underplanted them with Cyathea cooperi, what a great combination". Orlando, FL. Photo by H.P. Leu Gardens Botanist Eric S.
"Last week I got an early morning tour of the landscape at Disney's Animal Kingdom. This is in the new 14 acre Pandora section. It is based on the Avatar movie. They have done a spectacular job with the landscaping using many, many unusual and odd plants. They have also added "fake" alien plants and the blend is seamless. The detail of this park is just incredible. I will post other pics in a separate thread. This section of Animal Kingdom just opened up in the last month. One of the main plants that have used is Caryota obtusa. They have planted over 200 specimens in this area. In another year when they have grown out from the transplanting it will be awesome. One of the best groupings is next to the water fall where they have underplanted them with Cyathea cooperi, what a great combination". Orlando, FL. Photo by H.P. Leu Gardens Botanist Eric S.
"Last week I got an early morning tour of the landscape at Disney's Animal Kingdom. This is in the new 14 acre Pandora section. It is based on the Avatar movie. They have done a spectacular job with the landscaping using many, many unusual and odd plants. They have also added "fake" alien plants and the blend is seamless. The detail of this park is just incredible. I will post other pics in a separate thread. This section of Animal Kingdom just opened up in the last month. One of the main plants that have used is Caryota obtusa. They have planted over 200 specimens in this area. In another year when they have grown out from the transplanting it will be awesome. One of the best groupings is next to the water fall where they have underplanted them with Cyathea cooperi, what a great combination". Orlando, FL. Photo by H.P. Leu Gardens Botanist Eric S.
"Last week I got an early morning tour of the landscape at Disney's Animal Kingdom. This is in the new 14 acre Pandora section. It is based on the Avatar movie. They have done a spectacular job with the landscaping using many, many unusual and odd plants. They have also added "fake" alien plants and the blend is seamless. The detail of this park is just incredible. I will post other pics in a separate thread. This section of Animal Kingdom just opened up in the last month. One of the main plants that have used is Caryota obtusa. They have planted over 200 specimens in this area. In another year when they have grown out from the transplanting it will be awesome. One of the best groupings is next to the water fall where they have underplanted them with Cyathea cooperi, what a great combination". Orlando, FL. Photo by H.P. Leu Gardens Botanist Eric S.
"Last week I got an early morning tour of the landscape at Disney's Animal Kingdom. This is in the new 14 acre Pandora section. It is based on the Avatar movie. They have done a spectacular job with the landscaping using many, many unusual and odd plants. They have also added "fake" alien plants and the blend is seamless. The detail of this park is just incredible. I will post other pics in a separate thread. This section of Animal Kingdom just opened up in the last month. One of the main plants that have used is Caryota obtusa. They have planted over 200 specimens in this area. In another year when they have grown out from the transplanting it will be awesome. One of the best groupings is next to the water fall where they have underplanted them with Cyathea cooperi, what a great combination". Orlando, FL. Photo by H.P. Leu Gardens Botanist Eric S.
"Last week I got an early morning tour of the landscape at Disney's Animal Kingdom. This is in the new 14 acre Pandora section. It is based on the Avatar movie. They have done a spectacular job with the landscaping using many, many unusual and odd plants. They have also added "fake" alien plants and the blend is seamless. The detail of this park is just incredible. I will post other pics in a separate thread. This section of Animal Kingdom just opened up in the last month. One of the main plants that have used is Caryota obtusa. They have planted over 200 specimens in this area. In another year when they have grown out from the transplanting it will be awesome. One of the best groupings is next to the water fall where they have underplanted them with Cyathea cooperi, what a great combination". Orlando, FL. Photo by H.P. Leu Gardens Botanist Eric S.
"Last week I got an early morning tour of the landscape at Disney's Animal Kingdom. This is in the new 14 acre Pandora section. It is based on the Avatar movie. They have done a spectacular job with the landscaping using many, many unusual and odd plants. They have also added "fake" alien plants and the blend is seamless. The detail of this park is just incredible. I will post other pics in a separate thread. This section of Animal Kingdom just opened up in the last month. One of the main plants that have used is Caryota obtusa. They have planted over 200 specimens in this area. In another year when they have grown out from the transplanting it will be awesome. One of the best groupings is next to the water fall where they have underplanted them with Cyathea cooperi, what a great combination". Orlando, FL. Photo by H.P. Leu Gardens Botanist Eric S.
"Last week I got an early morning tour of the landscape at Disney's Animal Kingdom. This is in the new 14 acre Pandora section. It is based on the Avatar movie. They have done a spectacular job with the landscaping using many, many unusual and odd plants. They have also added "fake" alien plants and the blend is seamless. The detail of this park is just incredible. I will post other pics in a separate thread. This section of Animal Kingdom just opened up in the last month. One of the main plants that have used is Caryota obtusa. They have planted over 200 specimens in this area. In another year when they have grown out from the transplanting it will be awesome. One of the best groupings is next to the water fall where they have underplanted them with Cyathea cooperi, what a great combination". Orlando, FL. Photo by H.P. Leu Gardens Botanist Eric S.
"Last week I got an early morning tour of the landscape at Disney's Animal Kingdom. This is in the new 14 acre Pandora section. It is based on the Avatar movie. They have done a spectacular job with the landscaping using many, many unusual and odd plants. They have also added "fake" alien plants and the blend is seamless. The detail of this park is just incredible. I will post other pics in a separate thread. This section of Animal Kingdom just opened up in the last month. One of the main plants that have used is Caryota obtusa. They have planted over 200 specimens in this area. In another year when they have grown out from the transplanting it will be awesome. One of the best groupings is next to the water fall where they have underplanted them with Cyathea cooperi, what a great combination". Orlando, FL. Photo by H.P. Leu Gardens Botanist Eric S.
"Last week I got an early morning tour of the landscape at Disney's Animal Kingdom. This is in the new 14 acre Pandora section. It is based on the Avatar movie. They have done a spectacular job with the landscaping using many, many unusual and odd plants. They have also added "fake" alien plants and the blend is seamless. The detail of this park is just incredible. I will post other pics in a separate thread. This section of Animal Kingdom just opened up in the last month. One of the main plants that have used is Caryota obtusa. They have planted over 200 specimens in this area. In another year when they have grown out from the transplanting it will be awesome. One of the best groupings is next to the water fall where they have underplanted them with Cyathea cooperi, what a great combination". Orlando, FL. Photo by H.P. Leu Gardens Botanist Eric S.
"Last week I got an early morning tour of the landscape at Disney's Animal Kingdom. This is in the new 14 acre Pandora section. It is based on the Avatar movie. They have done a spectacular job with the landscaping using many, many unusual and odd plants. They have also added "fake" alien plants and the blend is seamless. The detail of this park is just incredible. I will post other pics in a separate thread. This section of Animal Kingdom just opened up in the last month. One of the main plants that have used is Caryota obtusa. They have planted over 200 specimens in this area. In another year when they have grown out from the transplanting it will be awesome. One of the best groupings is next to the water fall where they have underplanted them with Cyathea cooperi, what a great combination". Orlando, FL. Photo by H.P. Leu Gardens Botanist Eric S.
External Links
References
Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.
Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos.
Special thanks to Palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos.
Glossary of Palm Terms; Based on the glossary in Dransfield, J., N.W. Uhl, C.B. Asmussen-Lange, W.J. Baker, M.M. Harley & C.E. Lewis. 2008. Genera Palmarum - Evolution and Classification of the Palms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. All images copyright of the artists and photographers (see images for credits).
Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.
