Talipot palm Corypha umbraculifera
Talipot palm (Corypha umbraculifera) is an evergreen perennial tree in the Arecaceae family, native to Sri Lanka and southern India. It grows 18–25 m (59–82 ft) tall and 8–12 m (26–39 ft) wide, wants full sun and moderate water, and is hardy to about 2 °C (36 °F). Space plants about 10 m (33 ft) apart.
Plan Talipot palm in your garden →
Free. Draw your beds, then watch it grow through the year in 2D and 3D.
Talipot palm at a glance
| Type | Perennial tree, evergreen |
|---|---|
| Family | Arecaceae |
| Mature height | 18–25 m (59–82 ft) |
| Mature spread | 8–12 m (26–39 ft) |
| Spacing | 10 m (33 ft) centre to centre |
| Sun | Full sun, at least 7 h of direct sun a day |
| Water | Moderate; drought tolerance moderate, waterlogging tolerance low |
| Soil pH | 6–8 |
| Cold hardiness | About 2 °C (36 °F) once established (roughly USDA zone 10) |
| Heat stress | Likely above about 40 °C (104 °F) |
| Wind tolerance | Low |
| Pollinator value | Moderate |
| Edible | Not grown as food |
| Native to | Sri Lanka and southern India |
| Common in gardens of | 🇹🇭 Thailand, 🇸🇬 Singapore |
Is Talipot palm toxic?
- People: not known to be toxic
- Cats: not known to be toxic
- Dogs: not known to be toxic
No toxicity reported in ASPCA or standard poison references.
If a child or pet may have eaten part of a plant, call a poison centre or vet straight away.
Companion planting: what to grow with Talipot palm
No well-documented helpful pairing. Group it with plants that like full sun and moderate water.
See Talipot palm in a botanical garden
It grows in these sample gardens, which you can walk through in 3D:
- Singapore Botanic Gardens (1 plants)
- Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden (1 plants)
Questions about Talipot palm
- How far apart should I plant Talipot palm?
- About 10 m (33 ft) apart, centre to centre. A mature plant spreads 8–12 m (26–39 ft).
- Does Talipot palm need full sun?
- Full sun: at least 7 hours of direct sun a day.
- How much water does Talipot palm need?
- Moderate water. Drought tolerance is moderate and waterlogging tolerance low.
- How cold-hardy is Talipot palm?
- It tolerates about 2 °C (36 °F) once established, roughly USDA zone 10.
- Is Talipot palm poisonous to cats and dogs?
- For cats it is not known to be toxic; for dogs not known to be toxic; for people not known to be toxic. No toxicity reported in ASPCA or standard poison references.
- What grows well with Talipot palm?
- There is no well-documented companion pairing for Talipot palm. Group it with plants that like the same sun (full sun) and water (moderate).
Sources and evidence
Evidence grade B (B: extension service or peer-reviewed).
- Plants of the World Online (taxonomy, native range), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
- Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden: palm and cycad collections, Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden
Notes and assumptions
- Tropical: outdoors only where frost never occurs; elsewhere under heated glass.
- Fan leaves up to 5 m across; flowers once after 30–80 years with the largest inflorescence of any plant (6–8 m, millions of flowers), then dies. Leaves were the "paper" of palm-leaf manuscripts.
Reference values for planning, not horticultural, veterinary or medical advice. Varieties, soils and local climates differ: check with a local nursery or extension service.
Related plants
- Coconut palm Cocos nucifera
- Date palm Phoenix dactylifera
- Açaí palm Euterpe oleracea
- Mexican fan palm Washingtonia robusta
- African oil palm Elaeis guineensis
- Areca palm (golden cane palm) Dypsis lutescens
- Chilean wine palm Jubaea chilensis
- Joey palm Johannesteijsmannia altifrons