Heterospathe phillipsii
D. Fuller & Dowe
Phillip's palm
What to Eat
Edible parts: Cabbage, Seeds, Palm heart
The palm heart (cabbage) is eaten, and the young seeds are also consumed.
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It occurs on Viti Levu in Fiji. It grows on the edge of the rainforest.
Fiji, Hawaii, Pacific,
How to Identify
A slender solitary palm. It grows about 15 m high. The trunk can be stout. It can be 20 cm across. It is fattened near the base. The fronds are light and feathery. They have many leaflets which hang over. The fronds can be 5 m long and curve over. There is no crown-shaft. The flowering stalk is thin and large. It is branched. The fruit are about 10 mm long. They turn bright red when ripe.
How to Grow
Plants are grown from seed. Seed germinate readily. Young palms need shade.
Production
Plants grow slowly for the first year then more quickly after that.
References (1)
- Watling, D., 2005, Palms of the Fiji Islands. Environmental Consultants (Fiji) Ltd. p 92, 165
