Herb: Jelly Palm


Latin name: Butia capitata


Synonyms: Cocos capitata


Family: Palmae



Edible parts of Jelly Palm:

Fruit - raw. Sweet and aromatic with the flavour of apricots. They can also be made into jellies, jams, pies, cakes etc. The fruit is very fibrous but is also very nice. The fruit is about 34 x 25mm. The seed contains up to 45% of an edible oil, it is used mainly for margarines. The pith of the stem can be made into a bread. However, because the tree cannot make side branches this will effectively kill it.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Tree

Height:
6 m
(20 feet)

Habitat of the herb:

Grassland plains near the coast.

Propagation of Jelly Palm:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a warm greenhouse at not less than 24°C. Stored seed is very slow to germinate. Pre-soaking the seed for 24 hours in warm water prior to sowing may shorten the germination time. Plants form a long tap-root some time before forming a shoot. Germination of fresh seed usually takes place in 3 - 4 months at 25°C. Plant out into individual pots either as soon as root growth is noticed or as soon as top growth appears. Grow on in a greenhouse for at least the first winter. See Cultivation notes above regarding planting them outdoors.

Cultivation of the herb:

Grassland plains near the coast.

Medicinal use of Jelly Palm:

None known

Known hazards of Butia capitata:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.