Bungang-ipot
Areca ipot
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A palm like betel nut but smaller and more slender. It grows to 3.5-4.5 m high. It has a single trunk and has distinct rings due to leaf scars. The trunk is 8-12 cm across. The crown-shaft due to the leaf bases is swollen. The crown spreads 3 m across. The leaves have a mixture of wide and narrow leaflets on the one leaf. The ends of the leaflets are ragged. The flowering stalk comes below the crown-shaft. The fruit are red when ripe and 5 cm long. The seed are oval but flattened at one end.
There are 60 Areca species. They are tropical.
Where it is found
A tropical and subtropical palm. It does best in a shady position and needs plenty of water. It suits hardiness zones 11-12. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia
How it is used for food
The nut is occasionally used as a betel substitute. The palm heart is edible.
Edible parts
Nuts, palm heart, cabbage
How it is grown
Plants are grown from fresh seed. Seed germinate quickly.
The plant grows quickly.