Brahea edulis seed harvest

[NorCalWill]

A friend of mine has a large Brahea edulis with 7 large branches of big round seeds.

I would like to harvest and germinate some.

How does one know when they are ready to be harvested? They are big and green right now.

Thanks.

(If anyone wants some, let me know)

[QUINNPALMS]

They turn yellow then black before they fall, looks like they are close ! You could prob harvest at the yellow stage.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Try eating some when they're black, they're pretty tasty.

[Jim in Los Altos]

The fruit, when almost black is sweet to the taste and seeds are pretty easy to germinate but seedlings grow slowly. It may take more than twenty years before you're able to walk underneath one of these but they look great as juveniles. When mine goes into bloom, though, I have to hold my nose when passing by it. The inflorescence smell bad.

[Jubaea]

Are the fruits fibrous like Butia? I have been curious to try them but have hesitated by their appearance. The seedlings that I have grown seem to put out quite a lot of leaves and grow fairly quickly for me, but that is in comparison to slow palms like Jubaea that I have also grown.

[Phoenikakias]

The fruit, when almost black is sweet to the taste and seeds are pretty easy to germinate but seedlings grow slowly. It may take more than twenty years before you're able to walk underneath one of these but they look great as juveniles. When mine goes into bloom, though, I have to hold my nose when passing by it. The inflorescence smell bad.

Really?!? I am surprised because the inflorescence of Brahea armata has a very fine smell. Amazing that two spss within same genus differ in this aspect. Sorry I have reconsidered matter, and actually it occured to me again in genus Phoenix. Dactylifera's pollen has a sweet smell, Theophrastii's stinks and Loureiroi's neutral. So not rare event among palms.

Edited July 26, 2013 by Phoenikakias

[Grasswing]

Edulis means in latine edible and oleracea has the similar meaning, something like fruity.

I would like to try eating some too!

Regards

Andrew

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Are the fruits fibrous like Butia? I have been curious to try them but have hesitated by their appearance. The seedlings that I have grown seem to put out quite a lot of leaves and grow fairly quickly for me, but that is in comparison to slow palms like Jubaea that I have also grown.

They're not fibrous but there is less flesh than with butia. It's also a little drier depending on how well watered and how ripe. Butia he silver form has big non-fibrous fruit, but my regular one has very fibrous fruit.

[Jubaea]

Are the fruits fibrous like Butia? I have been curious to try them but have hesitated by their appearance. The seedlings that I have grown seem to put out quite a lot of leaves and grow fairly quickly for me, but that is in comparison to slow palms like Jubaea that I have also grown.

They're not fibrous but there is less flesh than with butia. It's also a little drier depending on how well watered and how ripe. Butia he silver form has big non-fibrous fruit, but my regular one has very fibrous fruit.

I think I'll give it a try next time I find some ripe fruit that I can try.

[NorCalWill]

I just want to confirm that this is indeed B. edulis before I start sharing seeds.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

That's definitely edulis, yours is a very nice specimen Indeed!!!

[Josh76]

I just want to confirm that this is indeed B. edulis before I start sharing seeds.

And before you start eating them as well!