Traveller's Palm

The Traveller's Palm (Ravenala madagascariensis) is the most architectural plant most people will ever put in a garden: enormous paddle shaped leaves arranged in a single flat fan, held on a stout trunk. In an Australian garden expect around 8m tall and 5m wide, and it grows fast to get there. Despite the name it is not a true palm at all, but a relative of the bird of paradise.

Why you'll love it

• The fan is a genuine talking point. Leaves sit in one plane rather than a crown, so from the front it reads as a giant green fan and from the side it nearly disappears.
• Fast to make an impact. It puts on serious size quickly, rare for a plant with this much presence.
• Made for heat and humidity. It thrives through a northern summer that flattens other feature plants.
• Instant resort look. One plant does the work of a whole tropical planting scheme beside a pool.

Where it works best

Feature planting. Use it as a single specimen where the fan can be seen face on, against a plain wall or at the end of a sightline. Planting several together wastes the effect.

Poolside. The broad leaves and clean trunk suit a pool surround, and the plant enjoys reflected heat. Allow at least 3m of clearance, because those leaves are large and they do shed.

Growing the Traveller's Palm in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, sheltered from strong wind. This is a tropical and subtropical plant only: Cairns, Townsville, the Queensland coast and warm frost free pockets of northern New South Wales. It is frost tender, so southern gardeners should treat it as a large container plant kept under cover.

Soil. Deep, rich, moisture retentive soil with good drainage. Dig plenty of compost through the planting hole, since this is a hungry plant that rewards preparation. Mulch 100mm deep.

Water and feed. Water generously through the warm months, especially in the first two years while the root system builds. Feed a complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and again in mid summer to keep the leaves large and green.

Pruning. Remove old leaves at the base of the stalk once they brown, using a clean saw, and never cut the growing point. Wind shreds the leaves over time, which is cosmetic rather than harmful.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is grown in a single size, a 400mm pot. That gives you an established young plant with several full leaves already formed, usually waist to chest height, rather than a seedling. It is a practical size to plant out and establishes quickly in warm weather.

Large leaves make this an awkward plant to freight, so expect some leaf tearing or edge browning on arrival. That is transit damage, not disease, and new leaves replace it within a season. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete guide to growing the Traveller's Palm
• Browse the wider palms, ferns and tropical plants range
• See more plants for poolside gardens
• Compare other tropical garden plants

Common questions

Is it actually a palm?

No. It sits in the bird of paradise family, and the trunk is a stack of old leaf bases rather than palm wood. The name comes from the water that collects in those bases.

Will it grow in Sydney or Melbourne?

Not in the ground. It is frost tender and needs tropical or subtropical warmth. In cooler cities it can be grown in a large container and moved into a heated space over winter.

How much room does it need?

Allow at least 3m of clear space. At about 8m tall and 5m wide the fan needs room to spread without hitting a wall or a roof line.

How fast does it grow?

Quickly in a warm garden with water and feed, adding several large leaves each season and reaching useful height within three to four years.