Livistona chinensis

RHS Plant Profile

Chinese fan palm

Other common names

Chinese fountain palm

Palms

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Grows to 12m, with a stout trunk and long-stalked, fan-shaped leaves to 2m long, composed of drooping, linear segments. Panicles of cream flowers in summer, followed by glossy blue-green or pinkish fruits

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

8-12 metres

Max Spread

2.5-4 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 20–50 years
Max Spread: 2.5-4 metres
Max Height: 8-12 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: West–facing or East–facing or South–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H2

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Arecaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Livistona are single-stemmed, evergreen palms with long-stalked, fan-shaped leaves and small cream or pale yellow flowers borne in panicles among the leaves
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: S China to Vietnam, Temp. E Asia

How to Grow

Cultivation

Under glass or in containers for summering outdoors, grow in a peat-free, loam-based potting compost in full or bright indirect light. Water freely in the growing season and more sparingly in the winter. Apply a balanced liquid fertiliser once a month during the growing period.

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in containers at 23C (73F) in the spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
Sub-tropical
Patio and container plants
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

Pruning is generally unnecessary

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite and scale insect

Diseases

Generally disease-free