Palms make a wide variety of fruits with interesting nutrient profiles

Palms have incredible food potential that is underutilized. Most species can tolerate tremendous amounts of sun and many are surprisingly cold hardy.

However, most palms are very slow-growing and take many years to fruit.

I am interested in helping sequence as many of the following palms as possible, with the goal of finding paths to make them grow much quicker. I then hope to work with tissue culture labs to distribute these widely.

The Butia genus makes delicious fruits that are full of beta carotene and vitamin C. These plants can easily survive freezing conditions and even some snow (though it is best to ensure snow doesn’t stay in the crown of young palms).

There is an açaí relative named juçara (Euterpe edulis) that can tolerate freezes without issues. It has a similar taste and antioxidant profile to its more famous relative. More plantings should be made around the world.

The Chilean Wine Palm (Jubaea chilensis) is a beautiful, cold-hardy tree that produces tasty little coconuts. They are large and slow-growing.

The Syagrus genus has a long history in landscaping and it is full of tasty species with a wide range of sizes.

The UN has recently began funding research to investigate wider cultivation of Parajubaea species from Bolivia. I am working to trial a few dozens seed at a research facility in Turkey.

These palms all have potential for research, further selection, and ornamental use far outside their native range.

I am currently trialing a variety of palms in Seattle and in Turkey. Palm exports are very regulated within the Gulf countries, but I hope to help supply researchers and growers in the GCC with seeds and plants in the near future.

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