African oil palm.

En un coup d'œil

Niveau d'entretien

Moyenne

Type de plante

Palm

Lumière

Full sun

Lumière en intérieur

Soleil direct

Arrosage

Tous les 3 à 7 jours

Taille adulte

60 feet

Croissance

Moyenne

Rusticité

USDA 10 à 12

Floraison

Year round in tropical climates

Entretien

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.

Arrosage

Keep the soil evenly moist but never waterlogged.

Engrais

Apply a balanced palm fertilizer during the active growing season.

Taille

Remove dead or damaged fronds to keep the palm tidy.

Rempotage

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

Sol

Well draining, fertile loam

pH du sol

5.5 to 7.0

Température

18 à 35°C

Humidité

70 à 90%

Résistance à la sécheresse

Faible

Durée de vie

Perennial, typically 25 to 100 years

Parfum

Léger

Résistance aux chevreuils et lapins

Moyenne

Sécurité

Humains

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

Enfants

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

Allergènes de contact

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

Allergènes aéroportés

Pollen may cause mild respiratory irritation in sensitive individuals.

Comestibilité

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

Comment l'identifier

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

Hauteur

6 à 20m

Envergure

4 à 8m

Feuilles

dark green, evergreen

Fleurs

yellow, cream, 1 à 2cm

Fruits

red, orange, black, Year round

Problèmes courants

• 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.

La cultiver

Multiplication

seed

Quand planter

spring, summer, fall, winter

Hivernage

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

En pot

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.

Bonnes associations

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

Espèces similaires

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

Science

Famille

Arecaceae

Genre

Elaeis

Ordre

Arecales

Classe

Liliopsida

Région d'origine

Tropical West and Central Africa.

Préservation

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.

Intérêt pour la faune

provides nesting habitat, food source for small mammals

Pollinisateurs

coléoptères

Utilisations

cooking oil, cosmetic ingredients, biofuel, ornamental specimen

Taxonomie vérifiée avec le GBIF.

Ce qu'on demande souvent

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.

D'où vient le nom

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

Bon à savoir

• 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.