The Acai Palm Tree, scientific name Euterpe oleracea, is a rare palm known because of its edible tasty fruits that are packed full of antioxidants, amino acids and essential omegas. These fruits are used in energy drinks, weight loss products, lowering cholesterol products and so on.
Leaves may be made into hats, brooms, baskets, and mats. A single tree may produce thousands of fruits a season. This palm is not cold hardy and needs warm tropical climate for successful growth.
Quick Facts:
| Scientific name: | Euterpe oleracea |
| Common names: | Acai Palm, Açaí Palm, Assai Palm, Acai Palma, Cabbage Palm, Pina Palm. |
| Origin: | Native to Brazil and north coast of South America |
| Growth Rate: | Moderate to Fast. Up to 45 – 50 ft tall and 30-40 ft wide. |
| Cold Tolerance: | USDA Zones 10b (35 – 40 F) to 11 (above 40 F). |
| Light Req: | Partial shade to full sun. |
| Water Req: | Moderate. |
| Soil Req: | Acid. Low salt tolerance. |
| Fruit: | Yes. Purple. Edible. |
| Propagation: | Seeds. |
Acai Palm Identifying Characteristics
It has a single slender trunk that is topped with dark green pinnate leaves that emerge from a reddish crownshaft. Trunk is about 5 inches in diameter, covered with gray dry bark and ringed with scars from old leaves. Feathery leaves are about 6-10 ft long.
Acai Palm Flowers and Fruits
Euterpe oleracea produces small purple flowers that grow in clusters. Male and female flowers are born on the same inflorescence. Flowers are followed by green fruits that grow in bunches.
It takes Acai Palm 4-5 years before producing fruit. Fruit is a round drupe about 1 inch in diameter with a single seed inside. It turns black-purple when ripe. You can get two crops of fruit each year. The fruit is edible and can be eaten raw.
How To Care For Acai Palm
Easy to maintain. Apply good quality palm fertilizer that has continuous release formula twice a year during growing season.
Acai Palm Tree is not considered cold hardy. It can tolerate cold only down to 30F when mature enough.
In the wild, Euterpe oleracea grows in swamps and floodplains. It grows best in acidic moist, but well drained soil.
Propagated by seeds, which can germinate in a few weeks to a couple of months.
Acai Palm Pictures
My neighbor has a palm tree and we don’t know what kind. It has a stalk that about a foot from the ground it branches like a tree hers has 4 branches one of the branches is about 5 feet tall and at the top it leaves look like corn stalks. At the base more of the corn stalks are coming up. It doesn’t look like regular Palm leaves. The branches have rings on them also.
Do you sell the trees? The prices listed are from what nursery/landscaper?
We have just purchased home in Cape Coral,FL that needs some trees.
Hafadai (Hello)!
I’m from the Marianas and I am interested in ordering several Acai palm trees. I live in a tropical place and I
find this certain tree to be very unique to plant. Marianas Islands are considered one of the United States
territory, so I hope you can allow me to order from your company.
Thank you.
Lori
Looking for an Acai berry Palm, any ideas.
Thanks
chris