Weeds of Australia - Fact Sheet

Top Scientific Name Family Common Names Origin Naturalised Distribution Notes

Scientific Name

Caryota mitis Lour.

Family

Arecaceae (Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia and the Northern Territory)
Palmae (South Australia)

Common Names

Burmese fishtail palm, clumping fishtail palm, clustered fishtail palm, clustering fishtail palm, fish tail palm, fishtail palm, lesser fish tail palm, tufted fishtail palm, winepalm

Origin

Native to India and south-eastern Asia (i.e. Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines).

Naturalised Distribution

Naturalised near Darwin in the north-western parts of the Northern Territory. Possibly also naturalised in northern Queensland.

Also naturalised overseas in Hawaii and south-eastern USA (i.e. Florida).

Notes

Clumping fishtail palm (Caryota mitis) is commonly cultivated in the tropical and sub-tropical parts of Australia. In the wetter tropical regions of northern Australia birds and animals appear to be spreading it into rainforests, vine thickets and along drainage lines. It is regarded as an environmental weed in the Northern Territory, where it is being actively managed by community groups.