Caryota sp. (Solitary Fishtail Palm)

This is a rare understory palm from Vanuatu (Tanna and Anatom islands) where it grows in the underwood of the humid forests, mainly along the coasts. The Snakeskin palm in habitat grows to about twenty feet tall, but much smaller in cultivation, with a trunk a foot and a half in diameter and when young is very difficult to distinguish from the Caryota zebrina. The leaves of C. ophiopelis are less glossy, a lighter green and thinner or finer, the leaflets less diamond shaped than Zebrina and mature trees would be much smaller than Zebrina. It will tolerate no cold, needs filtered light or shade, rich soil and ample water.
Caryota ophiopellis is a monoecious, monocarpic species (it does fructify only once then dies). Quite rare in cultivation, it arouses an increasing interest due to the unusual and showy coloration, in particular in the young plants. It requires a tropical or humid subtropical climate, a shady position during the young stage, slightly shaded when adult, and draining soils, slightly acidic to neutral, maintained humid. The starch contained in the stem, extracted with a special procedure and cooked to prepare a sort of bread, is still now utilized by the local populations.