Euterpe edulis in Central Florida, flowering and seeding

[Eric in Orlando]

Euterpe edulis is a nice palm that should be more widely grown in zones 9b/10a. It is finicky when young and slow growing for a few years. It also likes lots of water. But it has some good cool and cold hardiness, very similar to Archontophoenix cunninghamiana. This is the largest specimen at Leu Gardens. It was planted in May 2005 under high tree canopy. It is now nearly 30ft tall. It has been flowering and seeding the last couple of years. I have collected seeds but never got any to germinate. But there are seedlings around the base. I have transplanted some but they always die. This palm has never been injured by cold, not even in the 2009-10 winter or this past winter. Its a great slender palm for shade and would look great planted in multiples of varying heights.

[Eric in Orlando]

Seedlings around the base of the palm.

 

[Eric in Orlando]

[edric]

I've got 4 seedlings that made it un burned through 27 degrees F. Ed

[Eric in Orlando]

Here is a young specimen at my house in Altamonte Springs (12 miles north of Orlando). This past winter I had 27F at my house but very windy. It had no damage. A nearby Archontophoenix cunninghamiana had no damage either but Aiphanes horrida was defoliated and Wodyetia bifurcata severely burned.

[Alberto]

Some years ago, I found a population of this palm growing at 850 m altitude in araucaria forest, in the municipality of Reserva, some 100 km straight line from my place. I collected seeds and grew them at my place and also in the warmer muncipality of Tibagi were they also produced lots of seeds that were sold at RPS. 

[Beespalms]

Eric,

I had a E. edulis var. orange crown.  It is was about the same size as the one you have pictured at your house.  I got down to 27 this winter, probably a only a few miles from you.  I live in maitland, and it immediately defolitated and died shortly after the freeze.  I have had good success with the species in the past when it came to cold weather, so I was surprised with the immediate death. As with other palms that have a large distribution range, where the seeds are sourced from probably have a large factor in their cold hardiness.  Any way I would love to have a seedling form the tree at leu it you have any extra.

[Alberto]

There is a variety with orange crownshaft from tropical (nearly equatorial) Bahia state. Maybe the provenance of yours was from there.

[Eric in Orlando]

On 7/3/2018, 10:07:43, Beespalms said:

Eric,

I had a E. edulis var. orange crown.  It is was about the same size as the one you have pictured at your house.  I got down to 27 this winter, probably a only a few miles from you.  I live in maitland, and it immediately defolitated and died shortly after the freeze.  I have had good success with the species in the past when it came to cold weather, so I was surprised with the immediate death. As with other palms that have a large distribution range, where the seeds are sourced from probably have a large factor in their cold hardiness.  Any way I would love to have a seedling form the tree at leu it you have any extra.

I have not had luck with the orange crownshaft form. I have grown them from seedlings and they grow vigorously at first then eventually just slow down and die, they never get more than a few inches tall. I have a couple planted out that are about 2ft tall. They did receive light damage from the Jan. freeze. These are also sluggish and don't seem to thrive. Maybe it is too hot here for the orange form.

[Chatta]

Very awesome, I'm going to be planting one of these in my jungle near the lake somewhere around here in this pick!

[PalmatierMeg]

Good to hear how hardy this species is. I am trying to germinate seeds.

[John in Andalucia]

Eric, your first four sentences fill me with high hope. I have two sprouts from a batch of 15 seeds of the orange crownshaft form. I've experienced the fickleness with growing these from an earlier batch of seeds as well, having germinated two seeds and somehow losing them early on. Great photos, btw. I really admire the fine detail of this palm; like a droopy Kentiopsis pyriformis!

[edric]

https://www.acaipalmseeds.com/

[Alberto]

22 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Good to hear how hardy this species is. I am trying to germinate seeds.

I have tried Euterpe edulis from the atlantic plane of Paraná that is frostfree. This plants died years ago in a colder winter. Thr pslmito-juçara orginaged from the tableland of the municipality of Reserva are near seeding here and only a few died in colder spot .

 

[Alberto]

What was i saying? ....the juçaras that were seeding were the ones I planted in Tibagi and at my place they were near....?  While taking this pics I found one of my 40 palms with green fruits! Wow!

[Alberto]

[Alberto]

My juçaras in Carambeí don't show the tipical droopy leaflets yet, while the faster palms in Tibagi have totally droopy leaflets.

[Eric in Orlando]

Nice specimens!

 

 

[Sandy Loam]

I recall trying to fine euterpe edulis for sale in the Miami area nurseries once and it was not an easy palm to find.  It is really a beautiful palm and I have heard that it is extremely fast growing too.  I wish it were more common in central Florida and southern Florida.  I doubt that it would survive long-term here in northernFlorida though.  I really don't understand why such a fast growing and beautiful zone 9b palm is not more common in the nursery trade --- especially now that fusarium is a threat to the queen palms, which are so widespread everywhere.

[RedRabbit]

16 minutes ago, Sandy Loam said:

I recall trying to fine euterpe edulis for sale in the Miami area nurseries once and it was not an easy palm to find.  It is really a beautiful palm and I have heard that it is extremely fast growing too.  I wish it were more common in central Florida and southern Florida.  I doubt that it would survive long-term here in northernFlorida though.  I really don't understand why such a fast growing and beautiful zone 9b palm is not more common in the nursery trade --- especially now that fusarium is a threat to the queen palms, which are so widespread everywhere.

You're right, it is difficult to find these. I found a couple people selling them in Miami, but that was it. 

Ravenea glauca is another palm that is a fantastic candidate for Central Florida that sadly nobody is selling. 

[TaylorPlantHunter]

Hello I'm looking for this Palm in Florida does anyone know of any sources for it?

[ruskinPalms]

Any updates on frost/freeze hardiness of these? I’m thinking of trying one in my backyard to replace an A. cunninghamiana that bit the dust last year from pink rot I think. I’m high 9B/low 10A. My neighborhood is full of fruiting Adonidia and foxtails but no mature fruiting coconuts that I know of to give an empirical picture of what works here. Do you think one would work here?

[Fusca]

On 7/3/2018 at 9:48 AM, Eric in Orlando said:

Here is a young specimen at my house in Altamonte Springs (12 miles north of Orlando). This past winter I had 27F at my house but very windy. It had no damage. A nearby Archontophoenix cunninghamiana had no damage either but Aiphanes horrida was defoliated and Wodyetia bifurcata severely burned.

Eric, was this Euterpe planted in acidic soil?  I read that they can't take much sun when small and they like acidic soil.  I've got a couple of seedlings and hoping to grow them here in my somewhat alkaline 7.9 pH soil.  I might need to amend.  Any updates? 

[MikeB]

I am having success with the green crownshaft Euterpe edulis in my officially 9a climate.  My lowest temperature in nine winters was this year's Christmas freeze.  We had two mornings below freezing. The second was 25 degrees.  Thankfully I have oak canopy that has protected these Euterpes and Archontophoenix c. over the years.  This winter the Euterpes were defoliated for the first time while the Archontophoenix showed very minimal damage.  

[MikeB]

Thanks Eric.  I bought these at the  Leu Garden sale about 6 years ago.

[byuind]

Anyone have any juveniles?

[Jim in Los Altos]

I just have one up here in Northern CA but it continues to open new leaves despite cool damp weather. The crown shaft is colorful at times. 
 

 

[Blueman]

Do Euterpe need good soil, and struggle in alkaline sand?  That's what I've heard.  

[Eric in Orlando]

On 2/9/2023 at 7:12 PM, ruskinPalms said:

Any updates on frost/freeze hardiness of these? I’m thinking of trying one in my backyard to replace an A. cunninghamiana that bit the dust last year from pink rot I think. I’m high 9B/low 10A. My neighborhood is full of fruiting Adonidia and foxtails but no mature fruiting coconuts that I know of to give an empirical picture of what works here. Do you think one would work here?

No damage this winter and that is the ones at Leu and the 2 at my house.

 

 

[Eric in Orlando]

9 hours ago, Blueman said:

Do Euterpe need good soil, and struggle in alkaline sand?  That's what I've heard.  

Here in Central FL they need shade or part shade and evenly moist, acidic soil. They do not tolerate drought.