Butia capitata

Synonymy: Cocos capitata, Syagrus capitata Distribution: Brazil, Uraguay
Common names: Pindo palm, wine palm, jelly palm Conservation status: Not threatened

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Small adult

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Juvenile

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Inflorescence

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Butia capitata var. strictior

From Brazil, one of the hardiest feather (as opposed to fan-) palms, Butia will withstand -10º or -12ºC when larger. Beautiful blue-green leaves, strongly recurved, make it instantly recognisable. An essential palm for the exotic garden. Tolerant of the weather in high rainfall regions. Also wonderful as a conservatory palm, or even indoors if the light is bright enough. Ultimately it can grow to about 10 or 20 feet, though this will take some years. The fruit from this palm are used to make jelly, hence the name jelly palm.

Top photo courtesy and copyright © 1998, Javier Segura, PALMASUR: Palms and Gardens in the south-west of Europe. Middle photo courtesy and copyright © 1998, Alix & Magdeleine Hoareau ParcAPalm. Inflorescence photo copyright © 1998, Jody Haynes; personal collection. Bottom photo courtesy and copyright © 1998, Geoff Stein; taken at Huntington Gardens, Pasadena, CA.

Cold-Rating Data Base
Click here for cold-hardiness
information on this palm.

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