Betel nut
Areca catechu
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A straight slender palm up to 30 m tall. The leaves can spread 5 m across. The trunk is slender and erect. The trunk has rings around it and is about 10 to 15 cm across. The fronds or leaves are divided into leaflets along a stalk. The leaves are a dark green and 1.5 m long with leaf divisions about 25 cm long. The leaves arch over. The ends of the leaflets have irregularly placed teeth. A much branched flower cluster develops below the sheath. This can be 60 cm long with pale yellow flowers. The female flower occurs on its own at the base surrounded by small, white, sweet smelling male flowers. The fruit are egg shaped and up to 7 cm long. They change from green to red or yellow as they ripen.
Seeds contain the alkaloid arecolaine and others alkaloids. There are 60 Areca species. They are tropical. The nuts can contain significant fluoride which is ingested while chewing.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. They occur from sea level up to 900 m altitude in the tropics. It does best in rich moist soils in a shady, sheltered position. It needs soils of reasonable depth for good production. Plants are drought and frost tender. The seed needs to be sown when temperatures are 24-27°C. Plants can tolerate temperatures down to a minimum of 13-15°C. Found in settled areas throughout the Philippines. Also found in virgin forest in Palawan. It grows in Nepal up to 400 m altitude. In Cairns Botanical Gardens including var. alba. It suits hardiness zones 11-12. In Yunnan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Andamans, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Bougainville, Cambodia, Cameroon, Caroline Islands, Central Africa, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Fiji, Grenada, Guam, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia (country/location of origin), Jamaica, Kenya, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, Mayotte, Micronesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pohnpei, Puerto Rico, Samoa, SE Asia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, USA, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, West Papua, Yap
How it is used for food
The nut is chewed (with lime and betel pepper) as a masticatory. The heart of the palm is edible and eaten raw or cooked. It is also used for pickles. The young fruit are used to tenderise meat. CAUTION Chewing betel nut is associated with cancer of the mouth and throat. It contains alkaloids and tannins.
It occurs as an important social nut and masticatory in all lowland areas of many Asian and Pacific countries. It is traded into the highland regions. It is cultivated.
Edible parts
Nuts, cabbage, palm heart, male flowers
How it is grown
Trees are grown from seed. The seedlings are transplanted at 1-2 years of age. A spacing of 3 m between plants is the best spacing. Bananas can be used to provide temporary shade while betel nut palms get established. Holes 50 cm across and deep need to be dug. The seedlings should be planted 20 cm below ground level. As emerging prop roots develop the hole should be filled in.
The palm commences bearing fruit after about 7 years. The fruit take 6-8 months to ripen. Trees can continue fruiting for 30-60 years.
Its other names
Local names
Adakka, Adike, Angiro, Areca nut, Betel, Bo, Bonga, Bu, Bua, Buai, Bunga, Buuch, Chambe, Fen-foah, Gaisa, Go-yu, Heta, Jambe, Jin si bao ta, Kasu, Kikiro fasia, Kove, Kunthi-pin, Maak, Malua, Mpopoo, Nga nga, Nokalua, Nyia nwotapi, Ota, Pakku, Pan, Pijaka, Pinang, Pinang sirih, Poc, Poogiphalam, Pu, Pua liki, Pua mouku, Pua, Puak, Pugua, Supari, Tamol, Vakka, Vua
Synonyms
Areca cathecu Burman; Areca faufel Gaertner; Areca hortensis Loureiro; Areca himalayana H. Wendland; Areca nigra H. Wendland;