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Plants

African oil palm

Elaeis guineensis Jacq.

Family: Arecaceae · Genus: Elaeis

oil palm

Secondary II Emergent No biomass production
Fabrício Mil Homens Riella · CC BY · iNaturalist

African palm cultivated mainly for oil (palm oil). Rebello & Sakamoto (2019) report Götsch testing oil palm in multi-strata silvopastoral systems alongside rubber tree and eucalyptus. Produces bunches of up to 25 kg; productive lifespan of 25–30 years. Traditional in Bahia and Amazon agroforestry.

Götsch succession

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

Environment

Light requirement
Full sun
Water requirement
High
Drought tolerance
Low
Waterlogging tolerance
Moderate
Soil pH range
4.5–6
Preferred soil texture
Loamy, Clayey
Hardiness zones
10–12

Morphology

Mature height
8–20 m
Recommended spacing
8–9 m
Root system
Fibrous
Root depth
Medium
Growth rate
Fast
Lifespan
50–100 years
Time to first harvest
36 months
Productive lifespan
25 years

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

African oil palm takes the Emergent 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 · ≈20 m High Medium Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

Commercial cultivation restricted below 700 m (ideally <300 m); prefers 1,500-3,000 mm/yr well distributed (min ~150 mm/month). Humus-rich soil; avoid waterlogged, lateritic, very sandy, stony or peaty soils, but tolerates temporary flooding by non-stagnant water. Adventitious roots form a dense mat 3-5 m in radius in the upper 40-60 cm. Flowers year-round; begins bearing ~3 years after germination.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Fruiting months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of African oil palm?

The first harvest of African oil palm comes around 36 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for African oil palm?

The recommended spacing for African oil palm is 8–9 m.

How tall does African oil palm grow?

At maturity, African oil palm reaches 8–20 m tall.

When does African oil palm fruit?

Fruiting of African oil palm occurs in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.

When does African oil palm flower?

Flowering of African oil palm occurs in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.

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

In a syntropic system, African oil palm belongs to the secondary ii stage, occupying the emergent stratum.

Functions

Oil seed 🍎 Fruit Fiber

Propagation

Seed

Citations

  1. Rebello, J.F.S. & Sakamoto, D.G. (2019) — Agricultura Sintrópica em Larga Escala, Experimento III (Götsch's silvipastoril design with rubber tree and eucalyptus) (CEPEAS / Agenda Götsch) (gotsch_stage, primary_stratum)
  2. Flora e Funga do Brasil — Elaeis guineensis Jacq. (naturalizada) (family, genus, scientific_author, biomes, flora_do_brasil)
  3. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Elaeis guineensis Jacq. (external_ids, powo_id)
  4. Useful Tropical Plants / PFAF — Elaeis guineensis (ph_min, ph_max, root_system, root_depth, waterlogging_tolerance, soil_texture_preference, time_to_first_harvest_months, cultivation_notes, phenology)

External references

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