Sagisi palm
Heterospathe elata
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A tall and slender palm. It grows 16 m high. The trunk is 25 cm across. The trunk is smooth and grey with widely spaced rings of leaf base scars. The trunk has a swollen base. The leaf crown is 5 m wide and nearly round. The leaves are 3 to 4 m long and leaflets along each side of the stalk. The fronds curve over. They are dark green. The leaflets are long and tapering. They are 1 m long. The young fronds are pale pink. The leaflets grow in a flat plane but the leaf is twisted in its mid length. The fruiting stalk is 1.3 m long. Numerous small round fruit are borne on stalks. They are 1-2 cm across. The fruit are white. The clusters hang among the leaves.
There are about 32-40 Heterospathe species. They occur naturally in the Asia Pacific region. There are about 19 in New Guinea.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It is cold sensitive. It suits lowland tropical regions. They are widely distributed in the Philippines. It is also cultivated because it is ornamental. In Townsville palmetum.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Guam, India, Indonesia, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia
How it is used for food
The bud is cooked and eaten. The nut is sometimes used as a betel substitute.
Edible parts
Cabbage, nuts, palm heart
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seed. Seed germinate in 2-3 months.
It can grow quickly.
Its other names
Local names
Palem sagisi, Palma brava