Salak palm, Snake fruit palm
Salacca zalacca

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A clumping palm. The trunk is underground. It branches. The plant is covered with long, black, sharp spines. The fronds are erect and 4-6 m long. The leaf stalk is about 2 m long and has large flattened spines. The fronds have leaflets along the stalk. These are in rings. The leaflets are 60 cm long by 5 cm wide. They taper to the tip. They are shiny green above and greyish underneath. Male and female flowers occur on different plants. One cultivar from Bali has male and female flowers on the one plant. The flowering stalks are branched and without spines. The male flower stalks are drooping and 50-100 cm long. The female flowers are in crowded spikes and are 20-30 cm long. The fruit are carried in small clusters between the bases of the leaves. The fruit are 4-8 cm long and pear shaped. They are covered with overlapping brown scales which give it an appearance like a snake skin. The pulp is firm and tart. There is one seed inside.

Fruit are high in folates 27μg/100.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It does best in lowland tropical areas. It usually grows in marshy ground. Plants can tolerate full sun from an early age. It needs a temperature about 30°C. In Cairns Botanical gardens (As Salacca edulis).

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Fiji, FSM, India, Indochina, Indonesia (country/location of origin), Malaysia, Myanmar, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pohnpei, SE Asia, South America, Thailand, Timor-Leste

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten fresh or used in preserves. The unripe fruit can be made into pickles. They are pickled as the ripe fruit only last a few days. The growing tip or cabbage can be cooked and eaten.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Fruit, kernel, seeds, cabbage, nuts, palm heart

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seeds. They are planted into moist or wet soil. Suckers can also be planted.

Male and female plants are normally needed to get fertile seed and fruit. Insects pollinate the plants. Sometimes single plants can fruit. Plants respond to regular applications of fertiliser. Flower production is improved in old fronds and debris is removed.

Its other names

Local names

Fruta cobra, Ke shi sa la zong, Palmier a peau de serpent, Ragum, Rakam, Sala, Salaca, Salak jawa, Salak pasir, Salakpalme, Sarakka yashi, Yingan, Yingaw, Yin-ngan

Synonyms

Calamus zalacca Gaertn.; Salacca edulis Reinw.; Salakka edulis Reinw. ex Blume; Zalacca edulis;