Tropical Plant "Jussara palm"
Euterpe edulis

Characteristics – The jussara palm is a fruit bearer, seldom cultivated and seriously threatened in its natural habitat, the Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia and Minas Gerais to Rio Grande do Sul also in the gallery forests of the Parana River basin in the states of Goias, Mato Grosso do Sul, Sao Paulo and Parana. It is a palm with a solitary trunk, 5-12 m tall. The diameter of the caulis is 10-15 cm with a cone of visible roots at its base. Number of leaves, 8-15 concurrently; pinnae 65-72 pairs uniformely distributed, arranged on the same plane. Inflorescences infrafoliar and branched. Fruits have a thin and fibro-carnose mesocarp.

Uses – The fruits are consumed ‘au naturel’, as the mesocarp (pulp) is prepared as a high calorie juice, similar to the one that made from the fruits of the closely related assai palm. Canned crownshaft is much appreciated as a table legume, and known as palm heart (palmito).

Propagation – Propagated by seeds.