Common Name:
Chinese fan palm
Family Name:
Arecaceae
Botanical Name:
Livistona chinensis
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
Livistona chinensis is a slow-growing, long-lived, broadleaved perennial palm tree native to East Asia. It typically grows to heights of 9–15 m (30–50 ft), with a trunk diameter of 20–30 cm, and a canopy spread of about 4 m (13 ft) (1, 2, 3). The trunk is rough with leaf scars and supports a canopy of fan-shaped (palmate) leaves up to 1.8 m (6 ft) long, each divided into 50–90 segments with pendulous, split tips (2, 3). The petioles are armed with black to green recurved spines that are denser near the base (3). Inflorescences are 1-1.2 m (3.2 - 3.9 ft) long, with white to yellow hermaphroditic flowers 2-2.5 mm (0.08 - 0.1 in) in diameter, borne in clusters of 4-7 (3). The plant produces numerous green to blue-green, globose to ellipsoid fruits that are 1.5-2.6 cm tall (0.6-1.0 in) tall and 0.9-1.8 cm (0.35 - 0.7 in) wide (3). It is predominantly self-fertilizing, with pollination facilitated by wind and insects (3). The species flowers from February to April in Asia, and spring-summer in Florida and Bermuda, with fruiting typically occurring from April to September (3).
Compound:
Liv chi
Geographic Origin:
China
Ecozone Origin:
Palearctic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
L. chinensis is native to southeastern China, Taiwan, southern Japan, the Ryukyu Islands, and Hainan. Notable native populations occur on Aoshima and Tsuki Shima islands near Miyazaki, Japan (2). It has been widely cultivated for ornamental purposes and is now naturalized and invasive in many tropical and subtropical areas including South Africa, Mauritius, Réunion, the Andaman Islands, Java, New Caledonia, Micronesia, Hawaii, Florida, Puerto Rico, Bermuda, and the Dominican Republic (1, 2, 3). Originally classified in the genus Livistona, which belongs to the subfamily Coryphoideae, this genus is ecologically diverse and widespread across Africa, Asia, and Australia (3). It is known for forming dense thickets in areas it invades resulting in its ability to outcompete native vegetation (3). This tendency is greater in tropical and wet climates but is less likely in sub-tropical or arid climates.
Cultivation Notes:
Widely used as an ornamental tree in gardens, parks, and conservatories, L. chinensis is valued for its elegant foliage and adaptability (2, 3). It grows best in USDA zones 9–11 and tolerates temperatures down to -6 °C (21 °F) (2). It thrives in a range of soils including clay, loam, sand, acidic, and alkaline, but prefers well-drained substrates (3). The species can grow in both full sun and deep shade, making it versatile in landscape use. It is propagated by seed, which germinates readily beneath the parent plant or when dispersed by animals or water (3).
Ethnobotany:
In Asia, the leaves of L. chinensis are traditionally used to make hats, fans, brooms, and raincoats (3). Though primarily planted for aesthetic purposes in gardens and public landscapes, it has minor utilitarian value in some cultures.
Height:
20 - 50 feet
Width:
11 - 15 feet
Growth Rate:
Slow Growing
Grow Season:
Spring
Flower Season:
Spring
Color:
White
Function:
Accent
Spread:
Spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Invasive
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Hardy
Water Use:
Moderate Water Use
