This species is native to China and Japan, having been introduced to the Canary Islands as an ornamental plant. It is increasingly common in public and private gardens in coastal areas, as it requires a relatively warm climate, although it prefers semi-shady places rather than those permanently exposed to the sun.
It has a very long flowering period, with specimens in flower or fruiting almost all year round.
It can be reproduced by lateral shoots that appear at the base of old trunks, although it can also be reproduced from seed. The best time to plant the shoots is in spring, as they root easily.
It is very often used as an ornamental species, both in gardens and in large pots, as it is a very slow-growing plant. It can be grown in large, well-lit interiors.
In its native areas, the plant was once used to produce ‘sago’, a kind of edible flour from the pith of the trunk, but its use has been greatly restricted because of its carcinogenic properties.
The ground seeds also produce an edible flour. A commercial gum is obtained from the trunk and leaves.
It is an extremely poisonous species and none of its parts should be eaten. Domestic animals are at particular risk as they find the plant particularly tasty. Clinical symptoms develop within 12 hours of ingestion and may include vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness, fainting, liver failure or liver toxicity characterised by jaundice and cirrhosis.
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