| Caryota urens | |
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Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Arecales |
| Family: | Arecaceae |
| Genus: | Caryota |
| Species: | C. urens |
| Binomial name | |
| Caryota urens | |
Caryota urens is aspecies offlowering plant in thepalm family, native toSri Lanka,India,Myanmar andMalaysia (perhaps elsewhere inIndo-Malayan region), where they grow in fields and rainforest clearings, it is regarded as introduced in Cambodia.[2][3] The epitheturens isLatin for "stinging" alluding to the chemicals in the fruit. Common names in English includesolitary fishtail palm,kithul palm,toddy palm,wine palm,sago palm andjaggery palm.[2] Its leaf is used as fishing rod after trimming the branches of the leaf and drying. According to Monier-Williams, it is calledmoha-karin ("delusion maker") inSanskrit. It is one of thesugar palms.
Caryota urens species is a solitary-trunked tree that can measure 18 metres (59 feet) in height[4] and up to 30 centimetres (12 inches) wide. Widely spaced leaf-scar rings cover its gray trunk which culminate in a 6 m (20 ft) wide, 6 m tall leaf crown. The bipinnateleaves are triangular in shape, bright to deep green, 3.5 m (11 ft) long, and held on 60 cm (24 in) longpetioles. The obdeltoidpinnae are 30 cm long with a pointed edge and a jagged edge.
The 3 m (10 ft) longinflorescences emerge at each leaf node, from top to bottom, producing pendent clusters of white, unisexualflowers. Thefruit matures to a round, 1 cm (3⁄8 in)drupe, red in color with oneseed. Like allCaryotas, the fruit containsoxalic acid, a skin and membrane irritant. As these plants aremonocarpic, the completion of the flower and fruiting process results in the death of the tree.
The trunk contains a high quantity ofstarch and a juice can be extracted from the shoots of the flowers. The latter can be boiled into a sugary syrup. The cabbage can be eaten raw or cooked.[4]
This species is calledkithul (කිතුල්) inSri Lanka. It is best known as the source of kithul treacle, a liquidjaggery.[5] The sap of the tree is boiled for many hours until it turns into the thick, dark treacle, unique to Sri Lanka.[6] Kithul treacle is used as a sweetener in both Sri Lankan and Western cooking.
Toddy is extracted from the inflorescence, and is considered somewhat powerful compared to toddy extracted from other palm trees. In many parts of westernIndia this toddy is fermented and distilled to make a traditional alcohol called as 'Maadi'
The pulp of the mature plant is cut, sun dried, and powdered, and is edible. It is sweet in taste.[7][8] This powder is considered cool and nutritious in Coastal districts of Karnataka.In Sri Lanka, the powder is mixed with coconut milk and cooked to make Kithul Thalapa (කිතුල් තලප).
Elephants are fed both the leaf and the pulp of this plant.
The leaves possess strong fibres and are used for basketry inCambodia, where the plant is namedtunsaè.[3] The heart of the trunk contains a starch similar tosago, as well the trunk can be used for building. The fruit, when its stiff hairs are removed, is pleasant and sweet to eat, and, as elsewhere, the Cambodians cut the stalks to make sugar, which in turn can be made into wine.
Caryota urens is cultivated as anornamental tree, and planted ingardens and parks in tropical and sub-tropical climates. It is also used as an interior andhouseplant when smaller.
On 11 December 2025, the Sri Lankan kithul tapping industry was officially inscribed onUNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.[9][10][11]
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