Black sagisi palm
Heterospathe negrosensis
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A small palm 3 to 5 m high. The stem is 4 to 5 cm across. The leaflets are 35 to 40 cm long and 2 to 2.5 cm wide. Their secondary nerves are rather distinct. The leaflets are dark green. The flower stalk has flowers along a central axis and is twice branched. The fruit are oval and narrow above almost to a point. They are 9 to 11 mm long and 5 mm thick. The seed is oval and pointed.
There are about 32 Heterospathe species.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows naturally in shady rainforest. They are widely distributed throughout the Philippines.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Indonesia, Pacific, Philippines (country/location of origin), SE Asia
How it is used for food
The bud is cooked and eaten.
Edible parts
Cabbage, palm heart
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seed. Seed take 1-2 months to germinate.
Its other names
Local names
Palem sagisi hitam, Saluai