Licuala peltata aka Fan Palm

Licuala peltata is an evergreen palm. It belongs to the Arecaceae family. Its native range runs from Bhutan to the Malay Peninsula. Records place it in India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. They also place it in Thailand and Malaysia. It grows on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands too. It lives in warm, wet parts of the tropics. One main home is humid lowland rainforest. It also grows in drier forest and moist deciduous woodland. The latter has trees that shed their leaves. Some sites lie on lower limestone slopes.

This palm most often has one slim trunk. Some plants grow shoots at the base and form several stems. Useful Tropical Plants gives a height of about 16 feet [5 metres]. Its fuller account gives a trunk range of 5–26 feet [1.5–8 metres]. This wider range does not mean a usual garden size. The trunk is about 0.16–0.33 feet [0.05–0.10 metres] across. It has soft wood.

Large, fan-shaped leaves form a crown above the slim trunk. Each leaf blade can span almost 6 feet [1.8 metres]. The petioles, or leaf stalks, can reach 13 feet [4 metres]. Long stalks and broad blades give this palm its large-leaved form. Upright flower clusters, called inflorescences, can reach 13 feet [4 metres] long. PACSOA says the fruit turns orange as it ripens. The supplied accounts give no bloom season or flower colour.

When grown in gardens, this species likes shade and moist soil. Both garden sources agree on these needs. Once plants take hold, they can cope with dry spells. Even so, they still prefer moist soil to dry soil. Wild plants often grow on limestone soils. Habitat records reach about 1,640 feet [500 metres] above sea level. The sources say growers use seed to raise new plants. They give no frost limit or hardiness zone.

People gather leaves from wild palms for local use. They use the leaves to cover roofs and make umbrellas. They also coat leaves with oil from Dipterocarpus trees. These leaves serve as torches. The broad leaves are the palm's main visual trait in gardens. Useful Tropical Plants lists no known food or healing uses. It also lists no known hazards. This does not prove it is safe for people or pets. Neither account names any pests or diseases.