Elaeis oleifera

Common names

American Oil Palm.

Curiosities

The oil is used in cooking and to make hair restorers. The genus Elaeis is the only one that has plants at both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

Origin

Central America, Colombia, Venezuela.

Habitat

Morphology

An erect trunk, sometimes prostrate, up to 4 m tall. Leaflets evenly distributed in the rachis, in one plane.

Climate

Germination

Seeds may take around 2-5 months to germinate, if the seed cover has been broken or maintained in warm water for around 2 weeks.

Growing

Frost sensitive. Can adapt to many different soils, even to loamy ones. Can stand full sun from young.