Family: Arecaceae
Native to Tonga, the Fiji fan palm is a low maintenance plant. This commonly cultivated fan palm boasts large fan-shaped fronds that are almost as wide as they are long. The flowers bloom in the summer and have a pleasant smell. The beautiful fruit is a shiny and brown nut. The solitary palm tree can grow up to 30 feet and is both salt and wind tolerant. It can grow in some shade. There are issues with Fiji fan palm getting lethal yellowing. They tend to keep their fronds more than other Pritchardia species.
Plant Uses:
- Container plant
- Fragrant
- Indoor plant
- Ornamental
- Specimen
Plant Dangers:
- No dangers
High Risk Traits:
- Suited to tropical/subtropical climates (climate match score = 2)
- History of repeated introductions outside native range
- Host for recognized pests/pathogens (susceptible to lethal yellowing)
- Tolerates partial shade
- Produces viable seed
- Likely hybridizes naturally
- Propagules dispersed intentionally by people
Low Risk Traits:
- No evidence of naturalization or weediness
- No spines, thorns, or burrs
- No evidence of allelopathy or toxicity to animals/humans (fruits edible)
- Not known to reproduce vegetatively
- Seeds not adapted for wind dispersal; unlikely to be dispersed unintentionally or as a produce contaminant
- Not highly prolific seed producer
- No persistent seed bank (>1 year)
- Severely damaged by trunk mutilation (cannot heal like broad-leaved trees)
