Areca catechu is a species of palm which grows in much of the tropical Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa. The palm is native to the Philippines,  but is widespread in cultivation and is considered naturalized in Malaysia, Indonesia, New Guinea,Taiwan,Madagascar, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, southern China, India, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, parts of the Pacific Islands, and also in the West Indies