Livistona fulva - Chinese Fan Palm

Livistona fulva, sometimes called fan palm or ribbon palm, distinguishes itself from all other representatives of this genus Livistona by its upright habit and its foliage which is remarkably coloured with bronze rust on the reverse. This characteristic has earned it its species name, from the Latin "fulva" which translates as tawny. It develops a slender trunk on which sits an orderly and circular crown of palm leaves, composed of large fan-shaped leaves held upright on stiff petioles. Relatively hardy when mature, this species can be planted in the ground by the sea or further inland, in very sheltered gardens. Elsewhere, it can be grown in a container to protect it from the cold in winter. A magnificent collector's plant!

Livistona fulva is native to Australia, specifically Queensland. It is found in open forests and moist woods, in ravines and gorges, not far from streams and waterfalls, at the foot of cliffs, on rocky and sandy terrain, at an altitude between 400 and 900 m (1312 ft 4 in and 2952 ft 10 in). This species needs warmth and prefers moist soils, but can tolerate moderate drought. Young specimens should be protected from freezing during winter. Its cold resistance, once mature, is around -7, or even -8°C (17.6 °F) for short periods. Like all palm trees, it belongs to the family Arecaceae. In nature, the plant reaches an average height of 13m (42 ft 8 in) with a spread of 6m (19 ft 8 in). In our climates, it will maintain more modest dimensions, around 10m (32 ft 10 in) in height. If cultivated in a container, it will not exceed 3m (9 ft 10 in) in height and 1.50m (4 ft 11 in) in width.

This Livistona has slow growth. It develops a single, grey-brown stem, covered with rings that are leaf scars. At the top of this stem, a generous, round crown develops, composed of 25 to 35 palmate leaves, almost circular and rigid, 90cm (35.4 in) to 1m (3 ft 4 in) long, ending in 60-66 thin, tough, and pointed segments. The colour of the leaves is a greyish green on the top, and the reverse is covered with a furry coating called tomentum, copper-brown in colour. Each leaf is carried by a long, stiff petiole with dark, curved spines at the base. Flowering occurs in summer, in the form of unbranched panicles of cream to yellow flowers. In this dioecious palm, there are male and female individuals.

This palm can be planted in the ground in mild gardens sheltered from the wind. It deserves a prominent place, isolated on a lawn or in front of a large shrubbery that will protect it from the wind. Planted in a large pot or container, it forms a superb green plant that will adorn the terrace or balcony in the summer, and then the veranda and the temperate greenhouse in winter. It is sometimes difficult to associate due to its strong personality: reserve a corner of a swimming pool for it and, for example, associate it with Fargesia bamboo, Phormium, Cordylines, and Hakonechloa macra Aureola, an easy-to-grow ground cover with beautiful orange foliage in autumn.