Description

The Butia capitata is one jellylicious palm!

The Pindo palm or Jelly palm is really great for making jelly. That’s right! It is said that the ripened fruit from the Pindo palm is likened to the flavor of a banana/pineapple mixture.

Next to the Windmill and the European Fan, the Pindo palm is one of the cold hardy palms currently in production for landscape purposes today. The Pindo palm can tolerate temperatures as low as 5 degrees Fahrenheit, is wind resistant and does very well in the Florida Panhandle and up the eastern seaboard to the Carolinas.

The sturdy Pindo palm is native to the mid elevations of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. It’s a very slow grower, it enjoys full to partial sun and is also moderately salt-tolerant.

The Pindo palm propagates best from the seed. The next step would be to gather the seed when the fruit is ripe and then sown immediately in sterile, fast-draining soil. Although the seeds require very little care once planted, they must be removed from their hard pit before planting to ensure successful germination.

The Jelly palm’s fruit can be messy, so it is advised to plant at least 10 feet away from concrete or paved surfaces such as driveways & sidewalks.

The Pindo palm does not shed dead fronds automatically so some pruning may need to take place to keep it looking groomed.

The Butia capitata can be sensitive to fungi if the soil is too saturated. The canopy is typically very full with 50-60 silverish/blue pinnately compound leaves that gently nod towards the ends.

The petioles are sturdy and are lined with spines. Most trees are fairly heavy caliper but there are many variations of this tree and many will vary in appearance.

If you are looking for a dual purpose palm, the Pindo palm would do the job.

Call Palmco today at 239-283-1329 and ask us about these amazing cold hardy palms.