Bamboo palm
Chamaedorea costaricana

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

An evergreen palm. It grows 3-8 m tall. It grows as a clump of stems. The stems can be 1-6 cm across. The crown has 3-6 large leaves. Male and female flowers are on separate plants.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in dense, damp mixed forest. It grows in mountains between 1,200-1,400 m above sea level. It can grow at lower and higher elevations. It can tolerate cold. Young plants are best in light shade. They need moist, well-drained soils.

Countries/locations it is found in

Central America, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, South America

How it is used for food

The young flowering shoots are eaten raw in salads and also boiled and eaten or added to soups.

Edible parts

Flowers

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from fresh seeds. They may take 6 months to germinate.

Its other names

Local names

Pacaya palm

Synonyms

Chamaedorea biolleyi Guillaumin; Chamaedorea linearia L. H. Bailey; Chamaedorea quezalteca Standl. & Steyerm.; Chamaedorea seibertii L. H. Bailey; Legnea laciniata O. F. Cook [Invalid]; Nunnezharia costaricana (Oerst.) Kuntze; Omanthe coastaricana (Oerst.) O. F. Cook;