Gingerbread palm, Doum palm
A tropical plant. It will grow in warm temperate, subtropical and tropical regions. It will not tolerate frost. It grows in coastal regions. It can grow in arid places. It is found in the drier parts of West Africa. It grows in the Sahel. It is often on soil left by floods from rivers. It forms dense stands in hot dry valleys. They grow where the temperature is 20°C to 35° or 40°C. They grow up to 600 m altitude. They are common in areas with a rainfall between 150 and 600 mm per year. They can grow on saline soils. It can grow in arid places. They prefer a soil pH of 6.5-7.6. They are pollinated by wind. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In Townsville palmetum.
Also known as:
African Doum palm, Baar, Babazla, Bar, Bri-goruba, Dom, Doum, Dum palm, Gara'ito, Gellohi, Goriba, Goruba, Karjim, Kunchula, Manie, Meti, Mukpiatikakadata, Na, Poro, Qoone, Sete, Unga
Synonyms
- Chamaeriphes crinita (Gaertn.) Kuntze
- Chamaeriphes thebaica (L.) Kuntze
- Corypha thebaica L.
- Cucifera thebaica (L.) Delile
- Douma thebaica (L.) Poir.
- Hyphaene baikieana Furtado
- Hyphaene crinita Gaertn.
- Hyphaene dahomeensis Becc.
- Hyphaene dankaliensis Becc.
- Hyphaene guineensis Schum. & Thonn.
- Hyphaene nodularia Becc.
- Hyphaene occidentalis Becc.
- Hyphaene santoana Furtado
- Hyphaene sinaitica Furtado
- Hyphaene togoensis Dammer ex Becc.
- Hyphaene tuleyana Furtado
- Palma thebaica (L.) Jacq.
Edible Portion
- Cabbage, Fruit starch, Kernel, Leaves, Palm heart, Nuts, Root
Where does Gingerbread palm grow?
Found in: Africa, Asia, Australia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Chad, China, Congo, Congo DR, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, East Africa, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, North America, Pakistan, Palestine, Sahel, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, United States, West Africa, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Notes: There are about 9 or 10 Hyphaene species. (Some authorities estimate 40). Chemical composition (per 100g )(leaves): Protein = 2.3g. Fat = 0.4g. Calcium = 210 mg. Kcal = 43; (nut, dried): Protein = 3.9g. Fat = 6.4g. Calcium = 144 mg. Kcal = 395; (flour): Protein = 2.6g. Fat = .4g. Calcium = 68 mg. Iron = 20 mg. Vitamin B1 = .05 mg. Vitamin B2 = .10 mg. Niacin = 3.4 mg. Kcal = 296; (nut, green: outer, edible portion): Protein = 1.4%. Fat - 0.1%. Carbohydrate = 13.6%. Fibre (crude) = 5.4%. Ash = 1.5%. CaO = 0.05%. P2O5 = 0.13%. Moisture = 78.0%. Kcal = 62; (nut, green: kernels and fluid): Protein = 1.9%. Fat = 0.2%. Carbohydrate = 19.8%. Fibre (crude) = 1.4%. Ash = 0.7%. CaO = 0.07%. P2O5 = 0.03%. Moisture = 76.0%. Kcal = 91; (nut, mature; edible portion): Protein = 2.8%. Fat = 0.4%. Carbohydrate = 74.7%. Fibre (crude) = 11.0%. Ash = 5.4%. CaO = 0.17%. P205 = 0.39%. Moisture = 5.7%. Kcal - 321. Chemical composition, after Abdelmuti) Protein (crude) = 1.7% (dry). Fat = 0.5% (dry). Ash (insoluble) = 1.9% (dry). Fibre (crude) = 7.3% (dry). Amino acids (g [16g N]-1): Aspartic acid = 6.8g. Threonine = 2.7g. Serine = 3.7g. Glutamic acid = 9.0g. Proline = 3.8g. Glycine = 5.3g. Alanine = 4.0g. Valine = 4.0g. Cysteine = 1.2g. Methionine = 1.5g. Isoleucine = 4.0g. Leucine = 5.3g. Tyrosine = 2.2g. Phenylalanine = 3.7g. Lysine = 2.8g. Histidine = 1.5g. Arginine = 4.3g. Minerals: Sulphur = 0.30% (dry). Potassium = 0.14% (dry). Magnesium = 0.28% (dry). Calcium = 0.13% (dry). Na = 0.09% (dry). K = 3.02% (dry). Zinc = 11 mg/kg (dry). Iron = 17 mg/kg (dry). Manganese = 11 mg/kg (dry). Copper = 25 mg/kg (dry).
Growing Gingerbread palm, Doum palm
Cultivation: Plants are grown from seed. Sometimes suckers are used. Seed should either be sown in a deep container or direct in the field. The seeds take a long time to germinate.
Edible Uses: The spongy middle layer of the fruit is used for flour. The kernel is eaten. The seed kernels are sprouted in soil then eaten. The young fruit are boiled and eaten. The palm cabbage is edible. The shoot from the developing seed before leaves emerge can be eaten. The sap from the growing point can be drunk fresh or made into wine. The trunk contains a kind of sago starch which is edible.
Production: The first harvest occurs after 6-8 years. Fruit ripen in 8-12 months. A tree lasts for about 60 years. Tapping the tree for sap kills the palm.
Nutrition Info
per 100g edible portion| Edible Part | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) | Iron (mg) | Vitamin A (ug) | Vitamin c (mg) | Zinc (mg) | % Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuts dried | 395 | 3.9 | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| Fruit starch | 296 | 2.6 | - | - | - | - | 10.7 |
Gingerbread palm, Doum palm Photos
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