ELAEIS GUINEENSIS - OBÉ PALM.
Synonym: elaeis melanococca. Common name: obé palm, African oil palm.
Family:palmae.
A palm with an erect stem growing up to 55' tall; it has an irregular set of leaflets. Although it is ringed; there are no spines except for short spines on the leaf base and within the fruit bunch; it also lacks a crownshaft. The male - and female influorescenses come from among the leaves. They are densely packed with the fruit - bunches. The weight varies from a few pounds to about 220 pound, according to age and situation. However, in adults plantations mean weights are 22 - to 66 lb.
There is also a great variety of hermaphrodite or mixed inflorescences formed. The fruit, a sessile drupe, is black when green, orange red when ripe. The fruits are like plums, 1-1½" long, avoid in shape and reddish of color. In Surinam it is grown commercially for the production of palm kernel oil. Extracted from the seeds and palm oil; also from the flesh of the fruits. The palm oil is extracted from the mesocorp, while the kernel oil comes from the inside of the seeds. The oils are used for manufacturing of edible oil and margarine, while the fatty acid are used in the manufacturing of soap.
Medicinal applications: the oil is used against headaches and rheumatism. It is also used as a diuretic and anodyne.
Hardiness: USDA zone 9B - 11. Propagation: seeds. Culture: full sun, well drained, clay - to poor soils; needs high humidity. The seeds can take up to six month to germinate.
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