Chinese Fan Palm
Livistona Chinensis • Fountain Palm
Chinese Fan Palm in Motion
The Essence
"The Chinese fan palm (Livistona chinensis), also called the Chinese fountain palm or simply fountain palm, is a single-stemmed tree grown worldwide as a popular ornamental in gardens and conservatories. Its appeal lies in the large, fan-shaped (costapalmate) leaves, 3 to 4 feet across and up to 6 feet long, whose segment tips droop gracefully to give the crown a fountain-like cascade. Mature plants reach about 9 to 15 m (30 to 50 ft) tall with a spread of roughly 4 m, and flower stalks up to 6 feet long emerge from within the crown, though they are relatively inconspicuous. The small fruits are blue-green to gray-blue. Native to southern Japan, Taiwan, the Ryukyu Islands, south-eastern China and Hainan, it is hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11 and tolerates temperatures down to about 22 degrees F (-6 degrees C). Tough and easy to grow, it handles light shade or full sun and is considered drought tolerant, which helps explain its wide popularity."
The genus Livistona was named by Robert Brown after Patrick Murray (1634-1671), Baron of Livingston, a botanist and horticulturist largely responsible for establishing the botanical gardens in Edinburgh; the Latinised name derives from the family's seat. The species epithet chinensis is Latin for 'of or from China', referring to its origin in south-eastern China.
Two notable native populations in Japan occupy islands near Miyazaki Prefecture: Aoshima and Tsuki Shima.
Natural Habitat
Native range spans southern Japan, Taiwan, the Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), south-eastern China and Hainan. It grows primarily in the subtropical biome, in coastal forests on various soils, often in sand, sometimes forming dense single-species colonies and otherwise small isolated ones, at elevations up to 100 metres. It has been introduced or naturalised in many regions, including Bermuda, Florida, Hawaii, Mauritius, Reunion, New Caledonia, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
Curated Specimens
Botanical specimen of Livistona Chinensis.
Botanical specimen of Livistona Chinensis.
Botanical specimen of Livistona Chinensis.
Botanical specimen of Livistona Chinensis.
Botanical specimen of Livistona Chinensis.