Perennial Edible Fruits C2P47

Borassus flabellifer L. var. aethiopica Warb. (= B. aethiopium Mart.)
Common names: deleb palm, African fan palm (English); ronier (French).

Origin: Africa.

Distribution: Africa; introduced into plant collections elsewhere.

Cultural requirements: Hot tropical climate with low to medium rainfall.

Description: Palm, single trunk, to 25 m. Propagation by seed Fruit 15 cm in diameter, in large clusters, exterior color brown.

Utilization: Pulp of fruit eaten fresh, dried. Endosperm of immature seed eaten fresh. Sap from cut inflorescences made into sugar, wine. Locally important crop in Africa. Little potential for expansion.

References: Dalziel 1948, Irvine 1961.

Butia capitata Becc.
Common names: jelly palm, pindo, butia (English).

Origin: Brazil.

Distribution Widely Introduced into tropical and subtropical areas.

Cultural requirements: Subtropical or cool tropical climate. Adapted to wide range of soil conditions. Very resistant to freeze injury.

Description: Palm. single trunk, to 8 m. Fruit globose, 2.5 cm in diameter, in large clusters. exterior color yellow to orange yellow.

Utilization: Pulp eaten fresh, in jellies. Seed is minor source of oil. Flavor of pulp subacid, pleasant. Little potential as food crop. Used as ornamental plant.

Reference: Fouqué 1974.

Cocos nucifera L.
Common names: coconut (English); coco, cocotero (Spanish); cocotier (French); coqueiro da Bahia (Portuguese).

Origin: Pantropic.

Distribution: Pantropic.

Cultural requirements: Hot, wet tropical lowlands. Tolerant of a variety of soil conditions.

Description: Palm, single trunk to 30 m. Propagation by seed. Fruit production in 6-9 years. Flowers all year. Fruit matures in 16-18 months. Fruit ovoid, 10-40 cm in diameter, in clusters of 10-20; external color brown, edible portion white.

Utilization: Endosperm of seed eaten fresh. dried; prepared in many ways with other foods; used as source of edible oil. Flavor good; high appeal. Rich in oil, protein. An important food crop. Cultivation not likely to expand much.

References: Leon 1968, Ochse et al. 1961.

Elaeis guineensis Jacq.
Common names: African oil palm, oil palm (English); Palma de aceite, palms africana (Spanish); palmier a huile (French); dendezeiro (Portuguese).

Origin: South America, Africa.
Distribution: Hot Tropics.

Cultural requirements: Hot, wet tropical lowlands with deep. fertile, well-drained soil.

Description: Palm, single trunk, to 20 m. Propagation by seed. Fruit production in 3-5 years. Flowers all year. Fruit irregularly shaped, 3-5 cm long, in large tight clusters of about 100; external color orange, red, or black; internal color yellow or orange.

Utilization: Pulp and endosperm of seed processed for edible oil. Not consumed as fresh fruit. High oil and vitamin A content. Very important oil source, increasing in importance in Tropics. Important plantings in Southeast Asia, Central and South America.

References Leon 1968, Ochse et al. 1961.

Euterpe edulis Mart. (= E. oleracea Mart.)
Common names: pars palm (English); manaca, palmiche de Rio Negro (Spanish); pinot (French); aqai do Para (Portuguese).

Origin: South America.

Distribution: South America.

Cultural requirements: Hot, wet tropical lowlands; sandy soils; marshy areas.

Description: Palm, single trunk, to 20 m. Propagation by seed. Flowers all year. Fruit about 1.5 cm in diameter, external color black to purple.

Utilization: Pulp eaten fresh, fermented into bever-ages. Important source of hearts of palm. Locally important. Little potential for wider cultivation.

References: Cavalcante 1974. Fouqué 1974.

Guilielma gasipaes (H.B.K.) L. H. Bailey (= Bactris gasipaes H.B.K.)
Common names: peach palm (English); pejibaye (Spanish); palmier-peche (French); casipaes (Portuguese).

Origin: Central America.

Distribution: Central and South America.

Cultural requirements: Hot, wet tropical lowlands; will not yield well under dry conditions.

Description: Palm, single or multiple trunks, to 20 m. Propagation by seed (suckers to small extent). Fruit production in 3-4 years from seed. Flowers all year. Fruit variously shaped. 2.5-5 cm long, in clusters of up to 300; external color green, yellow, orange, or red; internal color yellow to orange.

Perennial Edible Fruits of the Tropics