Image - Wikimedia / Zureks
La Livistona chinensis It is one of the most decorative fan-shaped palm trees that you can have in a garden. Good, pretty, and rustic, since it resists frosts of some importance without problems.
Another of the many points in its favor is that it is rather slow and, in addition, it does not grow as much as others. Yes it is high, but if we compare it with other species it is relatively small 🙂. Did we discover it?
Origin and characteristics
Image - Wikimedia / Dinesh Valke
Our protagonist is a palm native to Japan, specifically the Ryuky Islands, and Taiwan. Its scientific name is Livistona chinensis, although it is known as Chinese fan palm or livistona. It has a single stem or straight trunk, 5 to 9m high by 30 to 40cm wide. The leaves are fan-shaped, green, and can measure 1 to 1,5m in length.
The inflorescence appears between the leaves, measures up to 1,5m in length, and is composed of creamy yellow flowers. The fruit is spherical or ovoid, with a size of 2,5cm in length and is bright bluish green.
It grows slowly; in fact, it takes ten years (more or less) to reach 5m in height.
What are their cares?
If you dare to have a copy of Livistona chinensis, we recommend that you provide the following care:
- Location:
- Interior: it must be in a bright room, without drafts. In any case, you have to know that it does not adapt too well to living indoors.
- Exterior: in semi-shade.
- Earth:
- Pot: universal growing substrate mixed with 20% perlite and 10% worm castings.
- Garden: grows in fertile, well-drained soils.
- Irrigation: 3-4 times a week in summer, somewhat less the rest of the year.
- Subscriber: it is advisable to fertilize it with organic fertilizers, such as bone meal, guano o compost, once a month. If it is in a pot, use liquid fertilizers and follow the instructions specified on the container.
- Multiplication: by seeds in spring. They take about 2-3 months to germinate.
- Rusticity: resistant up to -7ºC.
What did you think of Livistona chinensis? Did you like it?