Elaeis guineensis

[The Palm Nut]

This palm has got to be the fastest growing palm of all time in my garden and from the pictures of the ones that I have seen, I look forward to its beauty.

Mike

[Jeff in St Pete]

That's a nice one Mike! They are very fast growing palms that love high heat.

When I lived in Tampa, I had a 3 gal that was getting ready to go in the ground, but then I decided to move so I sold it.

Now I find myself pulling up volunteer seedlings and digging out the ones that got away! They are a major industry in Costa Rica and there are millions of them growing around here. Still, they are one of my favorites and someday I want to have a driveway lined with them.

[bubba]

Mike,I have one (Elaeis guineenis=African Oil) in my backyard(at the very back). I planted it in 2004 after buying at Fairchild and keep it trimmed but it grows fast and threatens to take over.I have seen mature old African Oils around here that look like elegant dates.My favorite was killed by Wilma(Hurricane).

Another interesting palm was introduced to me by Ken Johnson in a PRA down in Redlands.(near Miami) It is the Elaeis oleifera or American Oil.This Palm is indigenous to Central America but numerous mature specimens exist down in Redlands.(probably because of David Fairchild) These are truly magnificient Palms and are so stunning they are hard to describe. Pictures do not adequately portray their intensity.

[amazondk]

Bubba,

The Elaeis oleifera grow along the highway north of Manaus and I plan on getting some seeds one of these days or maybe digging up a few small ones and bringing them back to plant. I also found them growing way south of in southern Amazonas about 700 kms from here, which are shown in the pictures below. They are found normally around here growing in the same area as Mauritia flexuosa.

[amazondk]

Mike,

We have quite a few african oil palms planted around here, especially in the city landscaping. I have three of them on my place in the country. They are starting to grow pretty well now. I did need to add some fertilizer with micro nutients to get them going well though. This picture is of the area I am woorking on filling in now. There are tree oil palms planted 4 meters apart in a triangle. They should look great when they get larger.

[bubba]

Don,It is amazing to see American Oils growing naturally. Thank you!

[kylecawazafla]

Great photos Don! I was always under the impression that Elaeis oleifera leaves were slightly plumose, but those don't show a trace! They're very attractive palms. The only ones I have seen are at Fairchild Tropical Gardens.

Mike! How does the palm grow for you during the winter? There is at least one place that I know of in Florida which has some naturalized ones growing. It looks like your palm still has a lot of growing to do.

[amazondk]

Bubba,

I thought you would like the pictures.

Kyle,

I did not know what they were when I first noticed them along the road north of here a few years ago. The seed clumps look pretty much the same as the African oil palm. In fact they use the american oil palm in hybred oil palms for plantations. They produce a smaller tree that grows less and still produces heavy crops. I think I will go get some to put on my land after thinking about it again. They would make a great addition and I could put them in front of the Mauritias. It would make a nice arrangement I believe.

dk

[Zayin]

Can Mauritia's be successfully grown in S.Florida? Someone at Fairchild told me that they didn't have any because the habitat was not right...

[kylecawazafla]

They will grow just fine in South Florida. Here are some naturalized African Oil Palms growing in Melbourne, FL, just east of Orlando on the Florida Institute of Technology's campus.

[mpiodi]

  The Palm Nut said:

This palm has got to be the fastest growing palm of all time in my garden and from the pictures of the ones that I have seen, I look forward to its beauty.

Mike

That´'s right, Mike.

Here are three pics of elais guineensis in my yard. I have about 60. They are growing like weeds. The seeds are germinating everywhere, especially if they got some fire. But nevertheless, I like them. I planted those on this pic about 10 years ago.

[mpiodi]

the two in the background may have 25 years. The others in the foreground were planted 4 years ago.

[SubTropicRay]

Jeff,

I've discovered 2 seeding specimens in Tampa. If only the owners knew what was in store. Then again, there are so many squirrels around that this may offset the problem.

Ray

[Jeff in St Pete]

I don't know Ray... We've got lots of squirrels and monkeys around here that eat the fruit, but volunteers still pop up everywhere.

[The Palm Nut]

Mike! How does the palm grow for you during the winter? There is at least one place that I know of in Florida which has some naturalized ones growing. It looks like your palm still has a lot of growing to do.

[Eric in Orlando]

Here is one of the original parents at the FIT campus in Melbourne, FL, the other is just behind it. These were planted in the early to mid 60s and have survived into the low 20s though they are next to a warm building.

[Jose Maria]

  The Palm Nut said:

This palm has got to be the fastest growing palm of all time in my garden and from the pictures of the ones that I have seen, I look forward to its beauty.

Mike

I agree with Mike, they are amazing in their growing speed.

Here in Costa Rica I have taken pictures of Elaeis ( African oilpalm)with harvestable seeds at 2 and a half year after transplant, with the fruit bunches level with the ground .

It is an industry here.

There are now clones that produce double the amount of fruit of the "Classic" oilpalms.

Here a picture of a 3 year old african palm.On top a female flower bunch, under this,unripe fruits ( they turn red when ripe), ad still lower, male flower bunches, that only give pollen.

To Mpiodi,

I like preparing the moambe, etc...(I lived in Kisangani years ago).

[SubTropicRay]

Eric,

Do you remember Dent Smith's journals? He cut his specimens down after seeing them rebound from freeze after freeze (including teens and low 20'sF in 1958 and 1962). They might still be there today if he hadn't cut them down. These palms are reliably trunk hardy in zone 9 but who wants to see a recovering palm every March.

Ray

[Austinpalm]

  Ray Tampa said:

Eric,

Do you remember Dent Smith's journals? He cut his specimens down after seeing them rebound from freeze after freeze (including teens and low 20'sF in 1958 and 1962). They might still be there today if he hadn't cut them down. These palms are reliably trunk hardy in zone 9 but who wants to see a recovering palm every March.

Ray

At what temp does the foliage fry?

[Eric in Orlando]

Reading about Dent's experience and seeing the ones at FIT persuaded me to plant one here. The only time it has seriously been hurt by cold was after 26F in 2/96. It defoliated and the spear pulled with a rotting smell. I "trunk cut" it and it pushed out new growth in spring and easily had 20-30 leaves by the winter again. The same thing happened in spring 2001 after 2 nights in the upper 20s in 12/00 and it again regrew fast. It is growing under tree canopy so is protected from frost. It will show damage below 30f. Here it is a few years ago. Its a little taller now, its been a slower grower in the shade than it normally would be. It flowered for the first time a few years ago, produced just the male flowers. Its never flowered since.

[Matthew92]

Tropical Research and Education Center Homestead, FL

[foxtail]

  On 3/30/2016 at 4:14 AM, Opal92 said:

Tropical Research and Education Center Homestead, FL

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I don't know why but I love that palm!!!

[Josh-O]

  On 3/30/2016 at 4:53 AM, foxtail said:

I don't know why but I love that palm!!!

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[Matthew92]

  On 3/30/2016 at 4:53 AM, foxtail said:

I don't know why but I love that palm!!!

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They look spectacular when they get tall!