Fan Palms - Question For Plant Geeks

[cmsally]

I remember reading in a couple of places that fan palms (I mean the big leaved ones that really spread out like a fan)

will only grow east to west. I want to plant a couple near a wall but realise this would mean they would be spread out north- south. Is this just myth or would they really reposition themselves to go east-west; which is really not what I want!

Thank you to anyone who knows the facts.

[bina]

how do they reposition themselves?? sounds scary to me... (like those plants in the movie of the little shop on the corner with the carnivorous plants)..

bina

[gennisis]

I remember reading in a couple of places that fan palms (I mean the big leaved ones that really spread out like a fan)

will only grow east to west. I want to plant a couple near a wall but realise this would mean they would be spread out north- south. Is this just myth or would they really reposition themselves to go east-west; which is really not what I want!

Thank you to anyone who knows the facts.

I grew three of these fan palms when I lived in Ghana.They were planted North-South and stayed that way. so,unless "Amazing Thailand "!!!!!

[cmsally]

I agree it does sound a bit scary, but I thought they might realign the leaves to all face south - max. sunlight ?? That is if it was true.

[sbk]

You are mistaking Fan Palms with the Travellers Palm. The Travellers Palm does indeed reorient itself east-west. I planted one perpendicular to a bungalow, it slowly turned so that the leaves were orienting themselves east-west. Astounding.

There are many species of palms called Fan, but the usual one here in Thailand is the Chinese Fan Palm or Livistona

Travellers Palm is actually not a palm at all but a member of the same family as Bird of Paradise and the banana. Ravenala Madagascariensis:

[meandwi]

I have one planted in my front yard. it has allways faced north to south, without turning.

These plants normally grow multiple heads. remove them as they sprout and keep the original head. If you allow the plant to become multi-headed, the majority of the heads will face themselves to get the most sunlight.

[cmsally]

Ahh thank you. It was indeed the travellers palm I was going to plant, north to south. Maybe I will still have a go and see what happens!

[sbk]

I planted mine north east to south west and it turned so that the palm leaves are pointed east-west. The flat face of the palm does face north-south but the leaves (and the entire tree) definitely changed orientation. I wasn't that thrilled about it at the time because I was planting it parallel to a building and it is has since turned so that the leaves are on the roof. Oh well, still a magnificent tree.