Corypha umbraculifera
 
Common Names Talipot Palm, Umbrella Palm, Kudapana (Malayalam), Tala (Sinhalese), Tréang (Khmer)
 
Zones 10A–11
One of the largest palms in the world, Corypha umbraculifera is a monumental monocarpic species native to southern India and Sri Lanka, with cultivated populations across Southeast Asia. It produces the largest inflorescence of any known plant—up to 26 ft long—before dying in a dramatic final act after 30–80 years of vegetative growth. Historically used for palm-leaf manuscripts, it remains a symbol of cultural heritage and botanical grandeur.
 
Key Features
Growth Habit: Solitary; monocarpic (flowers once, then dies)
Height: Up to 82 ft (25 m); trunk diameter up to 4.3 ft (1.3 m)
Trunk: Straight; cylindrical; ringed with prominent leaf scars
Leaves: Costapalmate; up to 16 ft (5 m) wide; petiole up to 13 ft (4 m); up to 130 leaflets
Inflorescence: Terminal panicle; 20–26 ft (6–8 m) long; bears 1–3 million small flowers
Fruit: Round; yellow-green to dark green; 1–1.5 in (3–4 cm) diameter; takes ~1 year to ripen
Ecology: Grows in moist tropical lowlands below 600 m elevation; not known in truly wild populations
 
Growing Conditions
Light: Full sun
Watering: Moderate; prefers consistent subsoil moisture
Soil: Moist but well-drained; neutral pH; tolerates monsoonal cycles
Temperature: Hardy to ~28°F (–2°C); frost-sensitive
Humidity: High; thrives in humid tropics
Propagation: By seed; slow germination; seedlings grow slowly for decades
Tolerance: Drought-tolerant once established; not salt-tolerant
 
Landscape Use Ideal for botanical gardens, temple landscapes, and collectors of monumental palms. Pairs well with Corypha lecomtei, Borassus flabellifer, and Lodoicea maldivica.