Hi Barry,

Check out this discussion on the IPS board

http://www.palms.org/palmtalk/index.cgi?read=26391

I planted out a 5 gal. specimen a couple of years ago here in Ventura and so far it has been a pretty easy grower. My palm is about 5' tall overall and is still somewhat protected from full sun by other vegetation. It maintains a moderate rate of growth year round and has weathered winter lows to 35F without so much as a cold spot. I know 35F isn't really that cold, but this species seems to be unfazed by the prolonged cool of our winters. Mine is just starting to show some beautiful burgundy crownshaft.
I liked it so much, that I bought another that is currently acclimating.

Good Luck,

Greg

The above followup was added by Greg on December 13, 2001 at 5:12 pm PST.

Here is a picture of Euterpe edulis.

Axel

The above followup was added by Axel on December 13, 2001 at 9:22 pm PST.

Axel- I have been told it is a good alternative to archontophoenix cunninghamiana...
can i grow it here in sacramento???

The above followup was added by ron on December 13, 2001 at 9:51 pm PST.

Axel- I have been told it is a good alternative to archontophoenix cunninghamiana...
can i grow it here in sacramento???

The above followup was added by ron on December 13, 2001 at 9:51 pm PST.

I saw E. edulis for the first time in the jungle near Rio d. Janeiro. Of course I collected tons of seed. Afterwards I climbed a jackfruit tree to get a big fruit and all the seeds fell out of my shirt pocket. They look really good grown in the shade. I have 3 half-dead precatorias which I brought in 2 months ago. They seem to be difficult. The fruit of Euterpe is called açaí and makes a great energetic drink especially when mixed with guaraná.

The above followup was added by Jason Huerta-Portugal on December 14, 2001 at 1:43 am PST.

Ron,

You might want to try it out. I have not tried to grow it. You might also want to try archontophoenix maxima. It's supposed to be hardier. Ask Ben, he can tell you more about it.

Axel

The above followup was added by Axel on December 14, 2001 at 7:24 am PST.

When in Merced, CA, a couple weeks ago, I noticed at the new Golden Valley High School, the young palms had these bright dark red fruits on them; some had yellow. None had seeds, a few had little duds. The fruit was about 3/4 inch, by 2 inches. They were very sweet, but till imature, couldn't reach the ones, which were shriveled.

There where lots of young baby palms, which looked like the grounds keepers where just wacking back. The palm limbs where not like the usual ones, one sees in the Central Valley, they where lighter green blue, not the dark green, one usually sees. The shape was different too. I thought date phoniex date palms had to be hand pollinated, due to large heavy pollin. Does any body know what kind they might be? They remind me of some I saw in a online palm catolog, a mountain date palm, from South America, I believe. If the season had been hotter a little longer, they would of made, it looked like. The trunks where not as big like the usual one you see in the valley, they where a little more airy looking. These were slimmed trunked, and only 15-20 feet tall, with growth point at only 8-10 feet, or so.

David

The above followup was added by David, Waterford CA, zone9 on December 15, 2001 at 2:32 am PST.

I planted 2 E. edulis here, one has died due to the leaking pipe about 2m uphill from it, the other is ok. Seeing them in Auckland, they look like thin-trunked A. cunninghamiana. They certainly are beautiful palms. MIne are slower than A. cunninghamiana.

I read in an Australian palm book that hundreds of thousands of these palms were grown as houseplants in Australia in the 50's, but they are still very rare as outdoor plants. Suggesting they all died? E. edulis should be good for southern Australia, perhaps they were from a lowland rather than highland form.

Archontophoenix maxima is supposed to be hardier, according to some people. It comes from high altitude Atherton Tablelands, where it grows in frosty hollows along streams etc, in an area that is tropical latitude (16-7S) but borderline subtropical/warm-temperate climate. My in-laws have a palm outside their house which I was sure was maxima, but now I'm suspecting that it is merely a deviant form alexandrae. It has the tightly erect leaves and silver leaf undersides and wide leaflets typical of maxima, but probably not outside the core alexandrae variations. This palm is certainly hardy though, growing in a frost hollow.

The above followup was added by Ben on December 16, 2001 at 9:22 pm PST.

Hello to everyone. I m reading this interesting regarding Euterpe e.
Euterpe edulis in cultivation have simmilar requeriments then Archontop. cunn. . but dont will tolerate intense full inland sun from subtropics. Here we grow just in a shadded location covered from our radiational dry freezes, it Is considerably cold tolerant but not direct freeze, frost, blankets tolerant. I have some growing fastly here in central Argentina, also during winter, but speed during summer. With a LOT of water in a very riche organic, ever humid, soil.
It was undammaged near to Howeas were defoliated by cold.
E. edulis is the most cold tolerant. I would like to try with Euterpe spiritosantensis nextly. Simply is (in my view) the most beautifull with a pale wellow crownshaft.
Seeds of Euterpe edulis need to be fresh for good germination. Lose its viability very soon.

There is postated several nice photos of the specie in www.pacsoa.org.au

All the best.
Gaston Torres Vera
central Argentina.

The above followup was added by Gaston in Argentina on February 02, 2002 at 3:14 am PST.

Would either of the previously mentioned palms survive in the Southern U.S. "Gulf area to Southern Georgia". Phoenix, Washingtonia, and Syagrus are quite plentiful as well as the native Sables, but it would be interesting to grow a crowshaft variety. Thanks for your time and comments.

Sincerely,
Daniel

The above followup was added by Daniel on October 08, 2004 at 9:55 pm PST.