What fruit do palm trees bear?

Palm trees bear fruits that are not always edible

Palm trees are a type of plant that is used both to decorate gardens and parks, and sometimes also in orchards. And it is that although there are few that produce edible fruits, all of them have an ornamental value that, in my opinion, is very high. Regardless of the species you choose, with her you will achieve that tropicalize your garden or your home, because its slender trunks and large leaves are very different from those of the most common plants.

Now, you may wonder what fruit palm trees bear, what name does it have, or if there are different types. So if you want to know, stay with me because I'm going to tell you everything you want to know.

What are the fruits of palm trees?

Coconuts take up to 6 months to come out

A palm tree is a plant that, when it begins to bear fruit, can produce numerous fruits. These take from a few weeks to several months to mature, depending above all on the climate and the size that they are going to have. Thus, date palms (Phoenix dactylifera) or the canaries (Phoenix canariensis) take very little time: they bloom in spring and in summer the seeds begin to drop; but for example the coconut (Cocos nucifera) takes considerably longer: up to six months.

But What are the names of the fruits of these plants? Well, it will depend a lot on the type of fruit we are talking about:

  • Coco: as its name indicates, it is the fruit of the coconut palm tree (Cocos nucifera). It has a round shape, and a thick shell with three darker points called germination points. The pulp is white and edible.
  • coquito: in Latin America the fruits of the Butia are known by this name. These are round, about 1 centimeter in diameter, and have a yellow skin. This is fit for consumption.
  • Date: the date is the fruit of palm trees of the Phoenix genus, such as the date palm, robeline or the canary It has a more or less elongated shape, and measures more or less 1 or 2 centimeters long by about 0,5 cm wide. These are edible, except the seed which is very hard.
  • Others: When a palm tree bears an inedible fruit, it is simply called a fruit. Its shape and size can vary depending on the species. For example:
    • Archontophoenix: it has small fruits, 1 centimeter long by about 0,5 cm wide, which protect slightly smaller seeds.
    • Raphia: These African palms produce fruit with a shell that closely resembles pangolin skin, except for the color, which is red rather than brown. They measure approximately 2-3 centimeters long by 1-1,5 centimeters wide.
    • Ravenea: similar to those of the Archontophoenix, with a rounder shape and a red shell.

What are the fruits of palm trees for?

The fruits of palm trees have been used by humans for centuries. For example, dates serve as food for those who live or cross the desert, a place where the drought is so intense and long lasting that they have to manage if they want to survive. But even the non-edible ones are very interesting today especially for collectors.

And it is that often a rare palm tree, even if it is very young and therefore small, can reach exorbitant prices; so to save some money, sometimes you choose to buy seeds, which can also be very expensive, yes, but in the end it pays off.

How are palm trees planted?

Astrocaryum seeds
Related article:
How to plant palm trees

To get the seeds of palm trees to germinate, it is important that, first, they are introduced in a glass with water, where they will be left for 24 hours. This will serve to know if they are viable, in which case they will sink, or if on the contrary they are not.

The next day, a seedbed will be filled -pot, seedbed trays, or even milk containers previously washed with soap and water- with culture substrate, such as universal or seedbeds (on sale here). You must make sure that what you use to sow has a hole in its base, otherwise the seeds could rot due to excess moisture.

The next step is water the land, and bury the seeds a little. We must ensure that they are not completely exposed to the elements, except if it is a coconut, in which case it will have to be exposed so that it can germinate.

Finally, The seedbed will be kept in an area with temperatures of about 20-25ºC, and it will be watered so that the soil always remains moist, otherwise the seeds will dry out and cease to be viable.

How long do they take to germinate?

Palm tree seeds germinate in months.

Image - Wikimedia / Kumar83

This will depend on how fresh the seeds are and the time they are planted, as well as of course the species of palm in question. To give you an idea, the most common, such as Phoenix, Chamaerops and Washingtonia, take a short time to germinate: about two weeks if they are sown after having harvested their fruits.

But there are others, like the Syagrus, the Sabal, or the Juabea, which take much longer: 3, 4 months, or even more. For this reason, patience is a virtue that cannot be lacking when growing palm trees.


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