Butia capitata seeds - Jelly palm

Butia capitata, also known as the Wine Palm, Apricot Palm, Jelly Palm or Vinegar Palm, is an elegant, medium-sized palm tree, undemanding in terms of soil and hardy down to -10/-12°C. It can be grown in the ground in regions where frosts remain moderate. A close relative of the coconut palm, it is cultivated in South America for its sweet fruits, used in the production of the famous palm wine. Its spectacular, yellow, red or purple, pleasantly fragrant flowering appears on sufficiently mature specimens.

Growing Butia capitata from seed requires patience and care. The seeds must be scarified and soaked in warm water for 48 to 72 hours before being placed in a well-drained substrate. Germination is slow and can take several months, even over a year. A warm and humid environment, around 25 to 30°C, will favour their development. 
Belonging to the Arecaceae family, Butia capitata is native to southern Brazil and Uruguay. It grows naturally in low-altitude plains and savannas, usually on poor and sandy soils. Its growth is slow during the first years, then gradually accelerates. This species develops a stout, rough and greyish stipe or false trunk, reaching 5 to 6 m in height at maturity, with a diameter of around 50 cm in the oldest specimens. On adult specimens, the bases of old leaves remain attached to the trunk, forming a characteristic pattern. The imposing and dense crown can reach 4 to 5 m in spread and consists of 20 to 35 flexible and trailing leaves, measuring between 2 and 2.5 metres long. Each frond is borne by a robust petiolate, 50 cm to over a metre long, light green and armed with fine curved thorns that should be handled with care. Flowering occurs in summer on specimens aged 10 to 15 years. Large inflorescences emerge between the leaves that can measure up to 1.5 metres, grouping both male and female flowers. They are very fragrant and usually arranged in threes, with one female flower surrounded by two male flowers. Their colour ranges from yellow to red, even dark purple. After pollination, they give way to fleshy, ovoid, orange-red fruits, measuring about 3 cm long and slightly pointed. Their juicy and fibrous pulp offers a flavour reminiscent of pineapple, mirabelle plum or mango. Rich in vitamin C, these fruits are used locally to make jellies, liqueurs and the famous palm wine. Each fruit contains a single seed, protected by a very hard shell, similar to a tiny coconut. These ovoid or triangular seeds measure between 1.5 and 2.5 cm in length. They have three distinct pores, a characteristic of coconut palm fruits, from which a germ can emerge, and sometimes even two young shoots from a single seed.

The Apricot Palm is, along with Trachycarpus fortunei and Jubaea chilensis, one of the easiest palm trees to acclimatise in mild temperate climates. In the ground, it finds its place as a standalone specimen, near a swimming pool, or combined with exotic plants such as banana trees and Yucca rostrata. However, it fully expresses its potential in a Mediterranean-style garden. Although its strong presence sometimes makes it difficult to integrate into a flowerbed, it is possible to plant it in groups of three to create a beautiful landscape effect.