Butia capitata (Jelly Palm)
Slow-growing, Butia capitata (Jelly Palm) is a handsome small evergreen palm with a stout solitary trunk crowned with blue-green to gray-green leaves that curve in towards the trunk. The pinnately compound leaves, 3-6 ft. (90-180 cm), form a dense, full crown and arch gracefully creating a slightly weeping effect. Each leaf has 25-60 pairs of slender leaflets which ascend from the spiny leaf stalk to form a V-shape. The heavy trunk is patterned with the stubs of old leaves. In summer, small, creamy-yellow, fruity-scented flowers appear in long spikes, up to 3 ft. long (90 cm). They are followed by showy clusters of orange-yellow, sweet, edible fruits, as large as dates, and rich with a pineapple flavor. Easy to grow, Jelly Palm is salt, heat, and drought tolerant and among the hardiest feather palms, withstanding temperatures down to 14ºF (-10ºC). An attractive palm tree as a freestanding specimen or grouped with other palms.
- Winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society
- Grows up to 10-20 ft. tall (3-6 m) and 10-15 ft. wide (3-5 m).
- Easily grown in well-drained soils in full sun or part shade. Drought tolerant once established.
- No serious disease or pest issues.
- Propagate from seed in spring.
- Native to Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina.
Requirements
Hardiness | 9 – 11 |
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Heat Zones | 10 – 11 |
Climate Zones | 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, H1, H2 |
Plant Type | Palms – Cycads |
Plant Family | Palms – Cycads |
Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
Season of Interest | Spring (Early,Mid,Late)Summer (Early,Mid,Late)FallWinter |
Height | 10' – 20' (3m – 6m) |
Spread | 10' – 15' (3m – 4.5m) |
Water Needs | Low |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Clay, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Plant of Merit, Showy, Evergreen, Fruit & Berries |
Tolerance | Drought |
Garden Uses | Beds and Borders, Patio and Containers |
Garden Styles | Mediterranean Garden |