孔雀椰子屬常綠喬木，原產南亞至東南亞。樹幹叢生，有顯著環紋。二回羽狀複葉，狀如孔雀尾羽；小葉歪楔形，狀如魚鰭；葉鞘背面有龍骨狀突起；老葉凋萎會懸掛樹上。雌雄異花同株，肉穗花序腋生，成簇成穗，雌雄花序常為相互間隔而生，春季開花。果實圓球形，熟時紅色，內含1~2粒球形或半球形種子，夏季果熟。

An evergreen tree in the genus Caryota, native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. Trunks clumped, with prominent circular patterns. The bi-pinnately compound leaves resemble peacock tail feathers; leaflets crooked wedge-shaped and fin-like; with keel-like protrusions on the underside of leaf sheath; old leaves hung on the tree after withering. Monoecious, spadix axillary and clustered into spikes, flowers arranged alternately, open in spring. Fruit spherical and red when ripe, containing 1 or 2 spherical or hemispherical seeds, ripe in summer.

全日照或半日照溫暖環境，介質須疏鬆肥沃、富含腐植質的中性土壤。喜潮濕環境，在乾旱的環境下葉面會粗糙並失去光澤。以種子繁殖。

It grows in full-sun or partial-sun, and warm environments and prefers loose, fertile, richly-humic and neutral soils. A lover of humidity, the blade will become coarse and tarnish in dry environments. Grown from seeds.

可作庭園景觀樹、行道樹。嫩芽心可食用，樹幹有澱粉，但含量少，通常只有在飢荒時才會取用。花序汁液可以製糖。果皮有毒，汁液接觸皮膚會發癢。葉柄纖維可以製繩或掃帚。

Used as a garden ornamental tree and street tree. The new leaf buds are edible; limited amount of starch contained in the trunk is used in times of food shortage. The sap of flowers can make sugar. The rind is poisonous and can cause itch on the skin. The petiole fibers are harvested to make ropes or brooms.