The Fishtail palm is a monocarpic plant. It flowers only once in its lifetime. After the last flowering and setting seeds the fishtail palm tree dies.

The Caryota palm starts producing flowers when it matures, and its trunk reaches its maximum height. It starts producing flowers at the top of the trunk. The flowers are unisexual, male and female flowers on the same plant. The flowers are borne in branched inflorescences. They grow in beautiful long, pendulous, mop-like bundles.

The fishtail palm flowers from the top down the stem. It can flower for a decade. After the lowest inflorescence matures, the caryota palm dies. The clumping plants survive and will prodice new trunks.

The fruits are globose, red to black. They contain oxalic acid that is toxic if ingested. The juice of these fruits can burn the skin. The seeds are edible.

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