Guide botanique
Snake fruit.
Salacca zalacca
Prononciation suh-LAK-uh zuh-LAK-uh
Aussi appelée Snakefruit, salak, salak palm

The snake fruit is a unique palm species native to Indonesia that produces delicious, sweet, and acidic fruit. It thrives in humid, tropical environments with rich, well-draining soil. You'll love its distinct, scaly skin that gives it the common name.
En un coup d'œil
- Niveau d'entretien
- Moyenne
- Type de plante
- Palm
- Lumière
- Partial shade to bright indirect light
- Lumière en intérieur
- Lumière vive indirecte
- Arrosage
- Tous les 3 à 7 jours
- Taille adulte
- 6 meters
- Croissance
- Moyenne
- Rusticité
- USDA 10 à 12
- Floraison
- Sporadic throughout the year
Entretien
Keep the soil consistently moist but never waterlogged to mimic its natural rainforest habitat. Watch for yellowing leaves, which often signal that the soil is too dry or the humidity is insufficient. Ensure it stays in a warm spot, as it really dislikes cold drafts.
- Arrosage
- Keep the soil evenly moist but avoid letting the roots sit in standing water.
- Engrais
- Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer during the active growing season.
- Taille
- Remove dead or damaged fronds to keep the plant tidy and healthy.
- Rempotage
- Repot when the roots begin to crowd the container, usually every few years.
- Sol
- Rich, loamy, well-draining soil
- pH du sol
- 5.5 to 7.0
- Température
- 15 à 35°C
- Humidité
- 70 à 95%
- Résistance à la sécheresse
- Faible
- Durée de vie
- Perennial, typically 20 to 50 years
- Résistance aux chevreuils et lapins
- Élevée
Signes qu'il faut rempoter
- Roots growing out of the drainage holes.
- Stunted growth despite regular watering.
Sécurité
- Humains
- The plant is not toxic, but the spines on the petioles can cause significant physical injury.
- Enfants
- Keep children away from this plant due to the extremely sharp, needle like spines on the stems.
- Allergènes de contact
- The sharp spines on the leaf stalks can cause skin abrasions and irritation.
- Allergènes aéroportés
- There are no known respiratory allergens associated with this plant.
- Comestibilité
- The fruit is edible, but the skin is covered in sharp, irritating scales that require careful handling.
Comment l'identifier
- Reddish brown scaly skin
- Pinnate palm leaves
- Sharp spines on leaf stalks
- Clusters of oval fruit
- Hauteur
- 2 à 6m
- Envergure
- 1,5 à 4m
- Feuilles
- dark green, evergreen
- Fleurs
- yellowish brown, 1 à 2cm
- Fruits
- reddish brown, Year round in tropical climates
Problèmes courants
- Scale insects — Small sap sucking insects that cluster on leaves and stems.
La cultiver
- Multiplication
- seed, division
- Quand planter
- spring, summer
- Hivernage
- Keep the plant in a warm, frost free environment with high humidity throughout the winter months.
- En pot
- It can be grown in large containers, but its size and sharp spines make it difficult for indoor spaces.
Seed
- 1. Clean the pulp from fresh seeds.
- 2. Plant in moist, well draining soil.
- 3. Keep in a warm, humid location until germination.
Plant in groups to ensure cross pollination between male and female specimens.
Bonnes associations
- Musa — They share similar requirements for high humidity and partial shade.
Espèces similaires
- Calamus — They share similar spiny characteristics and tropical habitat preferences.
Science
- Famille
- Arecaceae
- Genre
- Salacca
- Ordre
- Arecales
- Classe
- Liliopsida
- Région d'origine
- Indonesia and Malaysia
- Préservation
- This species is widely cultivated and not currently considered threatened in the wild.
It grows as an understory palm in tropical rainforests, relying on high humidity and consistent moisture.
- Intérêt pour la faune
- nectar source
- Pollinisateurs
- coléoptères
- Utilisations
- culinary fruit, ornamental specimen, hedging
Au fil des saisons
Repères écologiques
- Salinité
- 1/9
- Réaction du sol
- 6/9
- Lumière
- 3/9
- Température
- 9/9
- Humidité
- 8/9
- Nutriments
- 6/9
Taxonomie vérifiée avec le GBIF.
Ce qu'on demande souvent
- Does it need full sun?
- No, it prefers partial shade and protection from intense direct sunlight.
- How do I peel the fruit?
- Pinch the tip of the fruit and peel the scaly skin back like a boiled egg.
D'où vient le nom
The genus name Salacca is derived from the Javanese word salak, while the specific epithet zalacca is a Latinized form of the same local name.
Bon à savoir
- The fruit flesh has a texture similar to an apple but with a unique sweet and acidic flavor.
- Salacca zalacca is a dioecious plant, meaning male and female flowers grow on separate individuals.
- It thrives in shaded, humid environments under a forest canopy.
Aussi dans
Ta plante a mauvaise mine ?
Cette page est un guide général. Pocket Botanist diagnostique les problèmes directement à partir d'une photo de ta plante, adapte l'arrosage à sa luminosité et te prévient quand il faut t'en occuper.
Ce guide a été généré par IA et vérifié avec la taxonomie du GBIF. Il s'agit d'informations générales, et non de conseils horticoles ou vétérinaires. Découvre comment nous concevons ces guides.
