Wine Palm
Attalea butyracea

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

Attalea butyracea otherwise known as Wine Palm is a tropical, evergreen plant that grows in dry forests in the Amazon. It has a straight, single stem that can grow up to 50 cm in diameter. It serves several functions such as food source and as material for construction. The apical bud is consumed as a vegetable. The sap is fermented producing alcoholic beverages. The fruit has a fleshy and fibrous pulp that can be eaten raw. The seeds and the oil it produces can be eaten as well. The seed oil can further be used in making soaps and toiletries. The leaves are widely used for thatching roofs and for weaving. It can also yield fibre that can be used in rope-making and coarse fabrics. Wood is used as construction material.

Attalea butyracea is an evergreen Tree growing to 20 m (65ft) by 15 m (49ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Bees, insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

Height (m): 20

Where it is found

An understorey tree of woodlands and forests, most commonly on edges and in areas of disturbance; also in grassland, sometimes in large stands; frequently in flat areas alongside streams; from the coastal plains to elevations of 1,000 metres.

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela; Caribbean - Trinidad; Central America - Panama to Mexico.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed.

Countries/locations it is found in

Found In: Amazon, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guiana, Mexico, North America, Panama, South America, Venezuela.

How it is used

Food

Rating: 4

The apical bud is eaten as a vegetable. Harvesting this bud leads to the eventual death of the trunk because it is unable to produce side shoots. Sap - fermented to yield an alcoholic beverage. The sap is obtained by removing the apical bud (which is edible). The sap collects in the hollow where the bud was. Production: Over 18-20 days the sap is collected and yields about 12 litres. Fruit - raw. The pulp is fleshy and fibrous. Good-tasting, with a thick - almost dry - consistency, and a mildly sweet and nutty flavour. The fruit is 8cm or longer and 6cm wide, borne in very large racemes. The seeds are eaten. They are mashed and mixed with roasted cooking bananas. Rich in oil. Edible oil is obtained from the seed.

Oil: Oil

Sap: usually of trees and usually but not always used as a drink.

Drink: not including plant saps, tea or coffee substitutes.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 5

Other uses rating: Very High (5/5). Other Uses: The leaves are used extensively for thatching roofs and for weaving into various articles. If harvested at the correct time (with the leaves being neither too old nor too young), roofs made out of this material can last for four years or more. The large fronds are split longitudinally, along the midrib. Then they are positioned side by side and tied to rafters made of poles. Finally, the leaflets are woven together. Generally, roofs made of palm leaves must be quite steep to encourage the runoff of rainwater and to avoid seepage and leaks. A fibre obtained from the leaves can be used to make ropes and coarse fabrics. An oil obtained from the seed is used in making soaps and toiletries. Wood - used for construction. Agroforestry Uses: This species spreads very rapidly in disturbed, human-made habitats. This trait gives it excellent potential for use as a pioneer species when restoring native woodland and, given its wide range of uses, makes it especially useful when establishing woodland gardens.

Fibre: Used for making cloth, rope, paper etc.

Oil: Vegetable oils have many uses, as lubricants, lighting, soap and paint making, waterproofing etc. This does not include the edible oils unless they are also mentioned as having other uses.

Pioneer: Plants, usually trees and shrubs, that can be used to reforest land.

String: Plants that can be used for string or can be easily made into a string. See also Fibre. Plants for ropes may be included.

Thatching: Used for making thatched roofs.

Weaving: Items such as grass and palm leaves that are woven together for making mats, baskets etc. See also Basket making and Fibre.

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

Plants succeed in moist tropical climates where temperatures never fall below 10c, the average annual rainfall is 1,500mm or more and the driest month has 25mm or more rain. Grows best in a hot, sunny position. Prefers a moist soil and probably does not mind poor drainage.

Propagating it: Seed - pre-soak for 24 hours in warm water and sow in containers. The seed takes 2 - 3 months to germinate.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Attalea butyracea or Wine Palm

Synonyms

Attalea gomphococca Mart. Attalea humboldtiana Spruce Attalea macrocarpa (H.Karst.) Wess.Boer Attale