East Indian Wine Palm, Cliff date palm
Phoenix rupicola
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A medium sized palm. The trunk can be 8-10 m tall. The trunk is slender and 15-20 cm across. The trunk is often free of old leaf bases. The fronds arch over and form a graceful crown. The leaves are feather shaped, finely divided and glossy green. They are 3 m long. They are often twisted and hang down. There are many stiff leaflets which are thin textured. They are bright green and crowded along the midrib. They arise mostly in one plane. This gives the leaves a flat appearance. The flowering stalk arises among the leaf bases. It is short and much branched. It hangs down. The flowers are cream. Male and female flowers occur on separate plants. The fruit are oblong and 20 mm long. The fruit are purple-red when ripe.
There are 17 Phoenix species.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows naturally among rocks on cliffs and gorges. They suit tropical and subtropical regions. It can grow in sunny or shady locations. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Myanmar, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Sikkim
How it is used for food
The starch is extracted from the pith as a famine food.
It is cultivated.
Edible parts
Starch
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seed. Seeds are small and germinate easily. They take 2-3 months to germinate.
Its other names
Local names
Kola khejur, Palem korma, Scrap