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Plants

açaí palm

Euterpe oleracea Mart.

Family: Arecaceae · Genus: Euterpe

açaí

Secondary II High No biomass production
Vihelik · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Amazonian native multi-stemmed palm. Pasini lists it in the high stratum of Tabela 3 and cites it explicitly among Abundance-system species. Fruit of high economic value in Amazonian agroforestry systems.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Secondary II
Ecological role
Late secondary
Primary stratum
High
Strata
High
Biomass class
No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement
Partial shade
Water requirement
High
Drought tolerance
Low
Waterlogging tolerance
High
Soil pH range
4.5–6.5
Preferred soil texture
Loamy, Clayey, Sandy
Hardiness zones
10–12

Morphology

Mature height
8–25 m
Recommended spacing
4–5 m
Root system
Fibrous
Root depth
Shallow
Growth rate
Moderate
Lifespan
≥ 30 years
Time to first harvest
48 months

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Açaí palm takes the High stratum in the Secondary II phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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Emergent High · ≈25 m Medium Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

A várzea species, dominant in seasonally flooded forest; tolerates permanently waterlogged soil via specialised pneumatophore roots. Prefers organic-rich soil, pH 4.5-6.5. Clump management keeps 4-5 productive stems. The BRS-Pará cultivar (Embrapa) is selected for short stature and thick-mesocarp fruit.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: March, April

Fruiting months: August, September

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of açaí palm?

The first harvest of açaí palm comes around 48 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for açaí palm?

The recommended spacing for açaí palm is 4–5 m.

How tall does açaí palm grow?

At maturity, açaí palm reaches 8–25 m tall.

When does açaí palm fruit?

Fruiting of açaí palm occurs in August, September.

When does açaí palm flower?

Flowering of açaí palm occurs in March, April.

What stage and stratum does açaí palm occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, açaí palm belongs to the secondary ii stage, occupying the high stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit Fiber

Propagation

Seed

Citations

  1. Pasini, F. & Guimarães, L. (2017) — Conceitos e princípios práticos da agrofloresta sucessional, Tabela 3 (Incaper) , p. 116 (primary_stratum)
  2. Pasini, F. & Guimarães, L. (2017) — Sistema de Abundância , p. 118 (gotsch_stage)
  3. Flora e Funga do Brasil — Euterpe oleracea Mart. (family, genus, scientific_author, biomes, flora_do_brasil)
  4. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Euterpe oleracea Mart. (external_ids, powo_id)
  5. PFAF / botanical-online — Euterpe oleracea (açaí) cultivation (ph_min, ph_max, waterlogging_tolerance, root_system, root_depth, soil_texture_preference, hardiness_zone_min, hardiness_zone_max, cultivation_notes)
  6. Embrapa Amazônia Oriental — Análise qualitativa dos eventos fenológicos do açaizeiro (Euterpe oleracea Mart.), Belém/PA (phenology)

External references

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