African oil palm.

De un vistazo

Nivel de cuidados

Media

Tipo de planta

Palm

Luz

Full sun

Luz en interior

Sol directo

Riego

Cada 3 a 7 días

Tamaño adulto

60 feet

Ritmo de crecimiento

Medio

Rusticidad

USDA 10 a 12

Floración

Year round in tropical climates

Cuidados

Keep the soil consistently moist and provide plenty of bright, direct sunlight for the best growth. Watch for yellowing leaves, which often signal that the plant needs more nutrients or better drainage. Ensure it stays in a warm environment, as it is quite sensitive to cold temperatures.

Riego

Keep the soil evenly moist but never waterlogged.

Abonado

Apply a balanced palm fertilizer during the active growing season.

Poda

Remove dead or damaged fronds to keep the palm tidy.

Trasplante

Repot only when the roots have clearly outgrown the current container.

Suelo

Well draining, fertile loam

pH del suelo

5.5 to 7.0

Temperatura

18 a 35°C

Humedad

70 a 90%

Tolerancia a la sequía

Baja

Longevidad

Perennial, typically 25 to 100 years

Fragancia

Suave

Resistencia a ciervos y conejos

Moderada

Seguridad

Personas

The plant is not considered toxic, but the spines on the leaf stalks can cause painful puncture wounds.

Niños

Keep children away from the sharp, serrated spines found on the base of the leaf fronds.

Alérgenos por contacto

The sharp spines on the leaf petioles can cause mechanical skin irritation.

Alérgenos en el aire

Pollen may cause mild respiratory irritation in sensitive individuals.

Comestibilidad

The fruit pulp and kernels are edible but require industrial processing to extract oil safely.

Cómo identificarla

• Large, feathery pinnate fronds
• Sturdy, upright single trunk
• Clusters of reddish orange fruit
• Spiny leaf bases on trunk

Altura

6 a 20m

Anchura

4 a 8m

Hojas

dark green, evergreen

Flores

yellow, cream, 1 a 2cm

Frutos

red, orange, black, Year round

Problemas frecuentes

• Ganoderma rot — A fungal infection that causes basal stem rot and eventual tree death.
• Leaf miner — Small larvae that tunnel into the fronds causing yellowing and tissue death.

Cómo cultivarla

Propagación

seed

Cuándo plantar

spring, summer, fall, winter

Cuidados en invierno

Protect from any frost or temperatures below 15 degrees Celsius. Move to a heated greenhouse if necessary.

En maceta

It is not well suited for long term container growth due to its massive root system and height.

Planting nitrogen fixing ground covers helps maintain soil fertility in the nutrient hungry root zone.

Buenas compañeras

• Mucuna bracteata — These legumes help fix nitrogen and prevent soil erosion around the palm base.

Especies parecidas

• Elaeis oleifera — A related species often used in breeding programs to improve disease resistance.

Ciencia

Familia

Arecaceae

Género

Elaeis

Orden

Arecales

Clase

Liliopsida

Distribución natural

Tropical West and Central Africa.

Conservación

Large scale cultivation has led to significant deforestation in its native range.

It thrives in high rainfall tropical environments where it competes for light in the forest understory before reaching the canopy.

Valor para la fauna

provides nesting habitat, food source for small mammals

Polinizadores

escarabajos

Usos

cooking oil, cosmetic ingredients, biofuel, ornamental specimen

Taxonomía cotejada con GBIF.

Lo que más preguntan

Can I grow this in a pot?

It is possible when young, but it quickly outgrows containers due to its massive size.

Does it need full sun?

Yes, it requires full sun to produce fruit effectively.

De dónde viene el nombre

The species name guineensis refers to the Guinea region of Africa where it was first documented by Europeans.

Bueno saberlo

• It is a single stemmed palm that can live for over 100 years.
• The oil is extracted from both the fruit pulp and the kernel.
• It is one of the most efficient oil producing crops in the world.
• The palm requires high rainfall and constant warmth to thrive.