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Parajubaea cocoides

Common name:	Quito Palm	Family:	Palmae
Author:	Burret.	Botanical references:	200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	S. America - Ecuador, Colombia.
Habitat:	Found at altitudes from 2000 to 3000 metres[196].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Arecales. Renamed to Arecaceae -- Palm family

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen tree growing to 15m at a medium rate. It is frost tender. It is in leaf all year. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant). We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Secondary, Sunny Edge, By Walls, By South Wall, By West Wall.

Edible Uses

Oil; Seed.

Seed - raw or cooked[196]. A sweet taste, it is a very popular food with children[196]. The seed is about 2cm long[200].
An edible oil is obtained from the seed[196].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Requires a sunny sheltered position in a well-drained soil but with plenty of water in the growing season[196]. Plants probably require a cool summer and quickly lose vigour in areas where night temperatures do not fall below 13°c[196].
Plants experience sub-zero temperatures in their native range and it should therefore be possible to grow them in warm temperate zones that only experience occasional light frosts[200]. They will possibly succeed in the milder areas of &ndndndnd[231].
This species has a deep penetrating root systems and generally establishes best when planted out at a young stage. It is not suitable for container cultivation[231]. Older plants are substantially more cold tolerant than juvenile plants[231], so if the plants can be protected from frosts in their earlier years it might be possible to grow them in areas at the limit of their cold tolerance.
Plants are relatively fast-growing for a palm and can produce fruit in 4 years from seed[196]. Trees are deep rooted[196].

Propagation

Seed - sow in a warm greenhouse as soon as it is ripe. It usually germinates freely. Stored seed is more difficult to germinate, it should be pre-soaked for 24 hours in warm water before sowing in a warm greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first two winters. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Give them some protection from the cold for their first few winters outdoors.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[196] Popenoe. H. et al Lost Crops of the Incas National Academy Press 1990 ISBN 0-309-04264-X
An excellent book. Very readable, with lots of information and good pictures of some lesser known food plants of S. America.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[231] McMillan-Browse. P. Palms for Cooler Climates. Trebah Enterprises. 1993 ISBN 0 9521952 0 8
An excellent little booklet on the subject, though it does not mention many plant uses.

Readers Comments

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Bibliography

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.