PlantFiles: Talipot Palm
Corypha umbraculifera

A very impressive palm , dies after flowering. The flower is the biggest flower on earth, it takes all the energy from the plant but produces thousands of seeds.Quite a collection in Maritius at Pamplemousses Botanical Garden. When it flowers especial staircase are made to have a closer look and there are about every 5-6 years one flowers.Originally from India (at least those we have at Pamplemousses comes from India) Now and then can be even found in nurseries but need to have a big garden and be more than very patient to grow this palm.

This is a truly majestic species of tropical palm... the leaves are unbelievably large and heavy. Standing next to one makes you feel small and insignificant. Not a great palm for most yards, unless you have a monster yard. Slow palm, even in the tropics.

And despite what the young palm grower above says about a 'must palm for So California', they cannot grow here (unless you say growing in a greenhouse counts, or surviving 2-3 winters eking along until rotting and dying counts). Hundreds have tried... none have succeeded. But my hopes is someone will succeed someday, so keep on trying!

Not a long lived palm really and monocarpic (dies after flowering- but what a ending! largest flowers in the plant kingdom!!).

Immense would be the only word to adequately describe this towering giant. There is an excellent example of a nearly mature specimen in the palm park, downtown Ft. Myers, FL. Standing under the huge canopy of leaves inspires a sense of awe. The trunk is likewise enormous and thick- making a Royal Palm look spindly. These are proven performers here in the southernmost portions of Florida.

Unfortunately, growth is slow. Seedlings are more sensitive to cold, so if you live in a marginal zone, I suggest using some means of protection during cold spells. Water heavily during the summer months. These palms are accustomed to dry winters, which is ideal for our local climate. Once it has developed the beginnings of it's deep rootsystem, growth gradually speeds up.

A MUST have palm to try in Southern California. They are hardier than there cousin C. Utan, and there are a few planted around in CA and AZ. This palm is always overlooked in teh area as being too tropical, but it is surprisingly hardy. Its deinfalty worth a try. Again they have a trade off from the caost to inland.the hotter summers and winter days, with the warmer winter nights. A must have palm though.

This is a massive palm tree, reaching up to 15 meters tall. It has enormous, palmate leaves. One could cover a house with a dozen of those. The trunk is thicker than average palms, and often features vestiges of older leaves.

The leaves are huge even when the palm is still young, so it might demand some room to grow freely. Once it gets its maturity (around 50 years or less), it launches several inflorescences from the top which exhausts the plant, dying after the fruits ripen.

It likes moist organic soil, and may tolerate some shade when young. It doesn't like frosts.

It's a good shade tree, but if an old heavy leaf hits you, it could hurt. Definitely one of my favorite trees in the local Botanical Garden.