Baling palm
Arenga brevipes
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A cluster palm. It grows 4 m tall. The trunk is 35 cm across. It is covered with old leaf fibres. The leaves have leaflets along the stalk. The leaflets are rhomboid and angular along the edges. The flowering shoots come from among the leaves. The fruit are oval and 3.5 cm across. They are yellow.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in lowland dipterocarp forests and up to 700 m above sea level. It has been recorded up to 1,700 m.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, SE Asia
How it is used for food
The pith of the stem is eaten.
Edible parts
Pith, growing tip, cabbage, sago, starch
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seeds and suckers.
Its other names
Local names
Aping, Batbat, Deremeh, Palem baling