Sciencetific Name: Livistona chinensis
Family Name: Livistona chinensis
The Chinese fan palm is relatively slow growing, typically reaching about 30 feet in height (Figure 1). Its fan-shaped, costapalmate leaves can be 3 to 4 feet across and up to 6 feet long. Petioles of juvenile palms are spiny but have few or no spines in adult palms. Because of its gracefully drooping leaf segment tips, this species is sometimes called the "fountain palm" (Figure 2). Young specimens are slow to form a trunk, which has led to the unfortunate practice of planting these palms close together as a ground cover. Eventually, most of those closely planted palms will have to be removed to accommodate their 10-to-12-foot spread. Chinese fan palm has been assessed by UF/IFAS and found to be potentially invasive, and therefore should be used with caution in Florida and managed to prevent escape into natural areas.