Huge Chinese Fan Palm

Product Details Notice how a room feels different when sunlight comes through leaves instead of landing flat on the floor. That is what a Huge Chinese Fan Palm gives you. Its broad fans ride high on arching stalks and scatter the light into soft, moving, fan-shaped shadows across your floor and walls. So your ordinary room takes on the shifting light of a courtyard. Each frond arches outward and weeps at the tips like water from a fountain. Each fan can stretch several feet across on its own slim stalk, and on a mature palm the older fronds bow out widest, giving it that full, cascading crown. Also known as the Livistona chinensis and native to East Asia, the Chinese Fan Palm grows slowly, so a huge one like this is the work of many years. It is also a true palm, which means it is safe to keep around cats and dogs, a rare thing for a statement plant this size. Care How tall does a Chinese Fan Palm get? A Chinese Fan Palm grows tall outdoors, but indoors it stays a manageable 6 to 12 feet (about 2 to 3.6 m) over many years. This huge specimen stands around 7 to 8 feet (about 2.1 to 2.4 m), already a full, mature size. Remember to leave room to the sides as well as overhead, since the wide fans spread out as much as they reach up. How fast does a Chinese Fan Palm grow? A Chinese Fan Palm is a slow grower, especially indoors, putting out just a few new fronds a year. That slow pace is exactly why a large one is worth seeking out, since a palm this size took years of patient growing to reach.  Where should I put a Chinese Fan Palm? A Chinese Fan Palm likes a bright spot near a sunny window, with plenty of indirect light and some gentle direct sun. It can manage a little shade, though dim light makes it stretch and lose its fullness, so brighter is better. Give it a quarter turn every week or so to keep the crown growing evenly, and leave space for the fronds to fan out. How often should I water a Chinese Fan Palm? Water your Chinese Fan Palm thoroughly, then let the top inch or two (2.5 to 5 cm) of soil dry before the next drink. It likes regular water through spring and summer and noticeably less in winter, in free-draining soil that never stays soggy. Filtered water keeps the frond tips a clean green, since the chemicals in some tap water can brown the delicate tips. Does a Chinese Fan Palm need feeding? A Chinese Fan Palm appreciates steady, gentle feeding while it is growing. Give it a balanced liquid fertilizer about once a month through spring and summer, then let it rest over fall and winter. Easy does it, since palms prefer a light hand to a heavy one. Do I need to prune a Chinese Fan Palm? A Chinese Fan Palm asks for almost no pruning, which is part of its easy charm. Simply trim away any fully brown older fronds near the trunk with sharp shears, and leave the rest alone. Never cut the top of a palm, since all its new growth comes from that single growing point, so removing it would stop the plant for good. Is a Chinese Fan Palm cold hardy? A Chinese Fan Palm is one of the tougher palms when it comes to cold, handling a brief dip to around 15 to 20°F (about -9 to -12°C). That makes it a lovely plant to move onto a terrace or balcony for the summer here in the city. It is not winter-hardy outdoors in our climate though, so it lives indoors and comes back in well before the first frost. Pet-friendly? Good news for pet owners: the Chinese Fan Palm is one of the safe ones. As a true palm it is non-toxic to cats and dogs, so it does not carry the worry that sends most statement plants up onto a high shelf. You will find it in our pet-friendly collection for exactly that reason. Is the Chinese Fan Palm safe for cats and dogs? The Chinese Fan Palm is safe for cats and dogs, and it is not listed among the plants the ASPCA flags as toxic. The one to be careful of is the unrelated Sago Palm, a lookalike that is not a true palm and is genuinely dangerous to pets, which this is not. Two small notes: the leaf stalks carry stiff little spines, so place it where pets and small children won't brush the base, and no plant is meant to be a snack. Factoids Why is it called a fountain palm? The Chinese Fan Palm earns its other name from the way its long frond tips arch over and tumble downward, like water falling from a fountain. The leaves themselves are broad, pleated fans rather than the feathery type you see on many palms. Together they give the plant its soft, cascading shape. Is the Chinese Fan Palm a lucky plant? Palms have long been seen as symbols of peace and good fortune, and the Chinese Fan Palm is a favorite for bringing a calm, welcoming feeling into a home or office. In feng shui, its upward, open growth is thought to invite positive energy and a sense of space. Lucky or not, a full green palm in the corner does lift a room. How long does a Chinese Fan Palm live? A Chinese Fan Palm is a long-lived plant that can stay with you for decades with steady care. Its slow growth is part of that longevity, since it builds itself gradually rather than racing through life. A palm like this is one you grow alongside for years, not seasons. Buy a Chinese Fan Palm A Huge Chinese Fan Palm at this size is the result of years of slow growing, and no two carry their fronds quite the same way. The best way to choose yours is to see it. Our own van and driver bring it to your door, fronds protected and trunk steady, because a palm this size deserves careful handling. Let's grow something beautiful - and big - together. Title (60): Huge Chinese Fan Palm (Livistona chinensis) | Dahing Plants Meta (159): A pet-safe Huge Chinese Fan Palm with wide, fountain-like fronds. Slow-growing and bright-light loving, delivered by our own van. See it on a free video call.