Salacca zalacca

[Will]

Hey,

I just found some Snake fruits one the market and kept the seeds. Has anyone already grown Salacca zalacca from seed? Are there any tips on what not to do or are they just like normal palm seeds?

Cheers,

Will

[Fusca]

1 hour ago, Will said:

Hey,

I just found some Snake fruits one the market and kept the seeds. Has anyone already grown Salacca zalacca from seed? Are there any tips on what not to do or are they just like normal palm seeds?

Cheers,

Will

I believe @Ilovepalm has grown them from seeds and started a thread here about it.  Perhaps she'll share her experience.

[John hovancsek]

This palm is really easy to grow and the seed will sprout within a week or 2. Sometimes the seed is spouting in the fruit already and yes they are really good

[Will]

Wow its looking amazing!

I just put them into a baggy and in the growing box. Hopefully some will germinate. 

 

[mike in kurtistown]

My experience similar to John's. Got fruits from a sidewalk seller in Thailand, saved the seeds. Three sprouts in a month to a month and a half.  Did well in pots. Have grown well and fast since going into the ground.

[Will]

To which USDA zone are they hardy? 

[realarch]

Seed from this palm is easy to germinate and the seedlings are hardy. The seed is not to my liking, a bit too astringent. I do have friends who enjoy them, so I harvest the fruit for them. 

The spines on this palm are NASTY as they radiate from every part of the plant. You will get jabbbed collecting the fruit.

Tim

[awkonradi]

22 hours ago, Will said:

To which USDA zone are they hardy? 

Interesting question.  Maybe this species has not been tested in zones colder than 11.  But, given it's native distribution is in the deeply tropical East Indies, I would not be too optimistic about hardiness below 11.  But, I'm definitely no expert.

[hbernstein]

It will grow successfully in the coastal areas of Miami, no problem.  Of course, those areas are now considered zone 11,now.  Cyrtostachys and other cold-sensitive species are succeeding.

Salacca definitely like warmth and water.

[realarch]

BTW, these are not small palms, at least here in Hawaii. The shovel with orange handle for scale. 

No input on zone pushing, I’ll let others offer info on that subject. 

Tim

[akamu]

On 10/18/2021 at 9:33 AM, Will said:

To which USDA zone are they hardy? 

The only one I have seen growing in San Diego was in the late Marty darian's pool house which had a covered roof over it and had its own microclimate I have not seen any growing outdoors in San Diego to my knowledge these are pretty tropical in their requirements can't take our low winter temperatures

[Will]

 

On 10/21/2021 at 6:29 PM, akamu said:

The only one I have seen growing in San Diego was in the late Marty darian's pool house which had a covered roof over it and had its own microclimate I have not seen any growing outdoors in San Diego to my knowledge these are pretty tropical in their requirements can't take our low winter temperatures

Would it grow in the southern Mediterranean? 

[awkonradi]

5 hours ago, Will said:

 

Would it grow in the southern Mediterranean? 

Doubtfully

[Fusca]

On 10/16/2021 at 10:29 AM, John hovancsek said:

This palm is really easy to grow and the seed will sprout within a week or 2. Sometimes the seed is spouting in the fruit already and yes they are really good

Harvesting the fruits looks scary!  Yours (or Tim's @realarch) would be a good candidate for the "Halloween Monster" thread.  

 

 

[Will]

All of the seeds germinated 

Here is one of them. Transplanted 3 already. The other 3 i gonna keep in the baggy till they form the first leaf.