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jelly palm

Butia odorata (Barb.Rodr.) Noblick

Family: Arecaceae · Genus: Butia

butia palm

Climax Medium No biomass production
Juan Manuel Barreneche · CC BY-SA · Wikimedia Commons

Native palm of the Pampa and southern grasslands. 4–8 m, leaf-base covered trunk. Orange-yellow fruits with fibrous sweet-tart flesh — basis of jellies, jams, and the traditional 'licor de butiá' in southern Brazil. Frost-hardy (-7°C). The 'butiazais' are conservation genetic heritage in RS and SC.

📚 Synonyms

Scientific synonyms: Butia capitata var. odorata

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Climax
Ecological role
Climax
Primary stratum
Medium
Strata
Medium, High
Biomass class
No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement
Full sun
Water requirement
Moderate
Drought tolerance
High
Waterlogging tolerance
Low
Soil pH range
5–7
Preferred soil texture
Sandy, Loamy
Hardiness zones
8–11
Frost tolerance
-7.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height
4–8 m
Recommended spacing
5–7 m
Root system
Fibrous
Root depth
Deep
Growth rate
Slow
Lifespan
50–150 years
Time to first harvest
96 months
Productive lifespan
80 years

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Jelly palm takes the Medium stratum in the Climax 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 Medium · ≈8 m Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

A warm-temperate/subtropical palm, very rustic; the hardiest species in the genus, tolerating frost (reports of -2 °C to -10 °C; ~-7 °C accepted for established specimens). Develops a deep taproot before shoot emergence. Tolerates maritime exposure and saline soils; survives on as little as ~250 mm/yr. Very slow-growing; unsuitable for the hot wet tropics. Fresh seed germinates in 3-4 months at 25 °C.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: October, November, December

Fruiting months: January, February, March, April

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of jelly palm?

The first harvest of jelly palm comes around 96 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for jelly palm?

The recommended spacing for jelly palm is 5–7 m.

How tall does jelly palm grow?

At maturity, jelly palm reaches 4–8 m tall.

When does jelly palm fruit?

Fruiting of jelly palm occurs in January, February, March, April.

When does jelly palm flower?

Flowering of jelly palm occurs in October, November, December.

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

In a syntropic system, jelly palm belongs to the climax stage, occupying the medium stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit 🍯 Melliferous Ornamental

Propagation

Seed

Citations

  1. Flora e Funga do Brasil — Butia odorata (Barb.Rodr.) Noblick (family, genus, scientific_author, biomes, flora_do_brasil)
  2. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Butia odorata (Barb.Rodr.) Noblick (external_ids, powo_id)
  3. Useful Tropical Plants — Butia odorata (root_depth, waterlogging_tolerance, cultivation_notes)

External references

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