Tagua
Phytelephas tumacana
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
A solitary palm. It grows 5 m tall. The trunk is 20 cm across. There are 10-15 leaves. They are almost erect. They are 5 m long. The old leaves hang on the stem. There are 80-110 leaflets on each side. They are arranged regularly and spread in one plane. The male flowers are on short stalks. There can be 20 fruiting heads per palm. The heads are 20-25 cm across. There are 5-8 fruit per head. There are 5-6 seeds per fruit.
It is an endangered species.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows on alluvial soils. They grow up to 200 m altitude.
Countries/locations it is found in
Colombia, South America
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Fruit, palm hearts
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Tagua de tumaco