African Oil palm
A tropical plant. They need a temperature above 18°C. They suit the hot humid tropics. They grow between 16°N and 15°S in Africa. These palms do well in rich moist soil. A rainfall above 2,000 mm is needed for good production. They need a sunny position. They are drought and frost tender. It grows from sea level to 900 m above sea level. It grows in areas with a mean annual temperature between 27-35°C. It grows in areas with a mean annual rainfall between 2,000-3,000 mm. Plantations are established in West New Britain in Papua New Guinea and palms occur in some other areas of the country. In Cairns Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In Yunnan.
Also known as:
Abura yashi, Aobara, Apwuraiasi, Asomme, Atchichi, Ba di ngasi, Ba di nsamba, Balia, Be yiya, Bemintchi, Caiauke, Corojo de Guinea, Dendes, Doung breng, Earra, Ekpe, Igi okpe, Ikye, Isa, Ivile, Kanjindo, Kepala sawit, Kibila, Kikasi, Kwakwa, Lara, Libala, Loombo, Macaw-fat, Mchikichi, Mintchame, Mjenga, Mubira, Munazi, Mupomu, Ngazi, Nkula, N'queme, Nsamba, Oil palm, Palma africana, Palmeir de oleo, Palmeira de azeite, Palmeira dendem, Palmera, Palmier-a-huile, Quem, Ribe, Sihtan, Si-ohn, Tem-em-eih, Tem-o, Toun, Tsingilo, Tugueih, You zong
Synonyms
- Elaeis melanococca Gaertn.
- Elaeis madagascariensis (Jum. & H. Perrier) Becc.
- and others
Edible Portion
- Seeds, Nuts, Cabbage, Fruit, Palm heart, Sap, Vegetable, Seeds - oil
Where does African Oil palm grow?
Found in: Africa, Amazon, Andamans, Angola, Asia, Australia, Benin, Bougainville, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Chad, China, Colombia, Congo DR, Congo R, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Ecuador, FSM, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Peru, Philippines, Pohnpei, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Southern Africa, South America, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Uganda, Venezuela, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia
Notes: There are 2 Elaeis species.
Status: A major cash crop but also significant as a food by farmers in many areas.
Growing African Oil palm
Cultivation: They are normally grown from seed in a nursery then transplanted. Because seeds germinate slowly they are treated before planting. The seed are soaked for 7 days then sown into warm ground. Seeds are slow to germinate. Heat treatment is often used to ensure even germination. Seed germinate in 2-5 months under hot conditions. Seed are sown in plastic bags and sometimes a second nursery transplant is used before eventually planting in the field 1.5 to 2 years later. For heat treatment they are heated to about 40°C for for 10-12 weeks and then soaked in cold water for 3 days changing the water each day. They are then dried and allowed to germinate in shade. Plants are usually spaced at 9 m spacing.
Edible Uses: The outer layer of the fruits yields an orange cooking oil. The kernel also produces oil. The palm cabbage is edible. The sap tapped from the male flower is used to make wine. The oily fruit are sometimes eaten but can cause nausea. The leaves are burnt and used as a vegetable salt.
Production: The early growth of seedlings is slow. Palms commence bearing after about 4-6 years. When mature they produce 2-6 bunches per year. The flower bud does not develop until about 9 months after the leaf containing it has opened. Bright sunny weather helps the development of female flowers. Male flowers are more common in wet cloudy weather. Fruit matures 5-9 months after flowering. A bunch can weigh 18-25 kg. Palms live for many years. Individual trees can live for 200 years.
Nutrition Info
per 100g edible portion| Edible Part | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) | Iron (mg) | Vitamin A (ug) | Vitamin c (mg) | Zinc (mg) | % Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seed | 538 | 1.6 | 4 | 18 | 9 | - | 28 |
| Seed dried | 587 | 6.6 | - | - | - | - | 11.5 |
African Oil palm Photos
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