Crying elephant palm
Borassodendron machadonis
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A tall palm. It has a tall, thin trunk covered with old leaf bases. The trunk is 20 m tall and 30 cm across. The leaves are fan shaped. They are widely spaced and with finger like segments. They are yellow and green stripes along the leaf stalk. The leaves are 6 m long. The leaf blades are 3-4 m across. The leaf stalk does not have spines but has sharp edges. The leaflets droop at the tip. The flowering stalks arise between the leaf bases. Male flowering stalks are 2 m long and branched. Female flowering stalks are 60 cm long and not branched. The flowers are cream and 3.5 cm across. The fruit are 15 cm across and round. They are reddish-brown when ripe. They usually contain 2 seeds.
There are 2 Borassodendron species.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It suits the tropics. It grows in wet rainforest on low limestone mountains. It grows up to 400 m above sea level. It needs well drained soil. In Cairns Botanical Gardens. In Townsville palmetum. It suits hardiness zones 11-12.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Indochina, Indonesia, North America, Malaysia (country/location of origin), SE Asia, Singapore, USA, Thailand
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Cabbage, fruit, palm heart
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seeds. The seeds are large and hard but germinate easily. The seeds put down a long root.
Its other names
Local names
Palem borassodendron