Common Name: Betel Palm

General Information

Areca catechu is an evergreen single-stemmed palm tree that can grow up to 30 metres tall but is more commonly around 15 metres[]. The straight, unbranched stem can be 25 - 40cm in diameter, topped by leaves up to 2 metres long[, ].
Originally native to the Philippines, the plant is now widely cultivated in the tropics of eastern Asia for its seed, which is used as a mildly narcotic stimulant[, ]. The plant also supplies a range of other useful products including thatch, fibre, oil and medicinal applications. It is sometimes grown as an ornmental[].

Known Hazards

Excessive use of this plant causes profuse salivation, vomiting and stupor[].

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - Philippines

Habitat

An understorey plant of tropical, high rainfall forests, from sea level to 1,000 metres or more[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	15.00 m
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Plants succeed in moist tropical climates where temperatures never fall below 10°c, the average annual rainfall is 1,500mm or more and the driest month has 25mm or more rain[]. Prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,500 - 5,000mm, evenly distributed through the year[]. Although tolerant to moderate elevations on mountains, it generally does best at low elevations, especially near the coast[, ].
Prefers a moist, well-drained soil and a position in full sun[]. Being a shade-loving species, the betel palm always does well when grown as a mixed crop with fruit trees[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6, tolerating 4.5 - 6.8[]. Plants are drought sensitive[].
Trees can commence bearing fruit in 6 - 10 years from seed[].
Trees can flower throughout the year[].
The sweet-scented male flowers are visited by bees and other insects for nectar, but insects have not been observed visiting the female flowers. It is thought that most of the flowers are wind pollinated[].
The use of this herb is subject to legal restrictions in some countries[].

Edible Uses

Seed - raw. The seed has mild narcotic properties, it is widely used in some areas of the tropics as a masticatory, being mixed with the leaves of a pepper plant (Piper betle), a gum and, often, lime[, ]. Betel seeds contain tannins and alkaloids - these stimulate saliva flow, accelerate heart and perspiration rates, suppress hunger and offer positive protection against intestinal worms[]. The ovoid fruit is 4 - 5cm long and produced in large clusters of 200 - 300[].

Young leaves, inflorescences and the sweet inner part of the shoots are cooked and eaten as vegetables[, ].

The skin of the fruit is edible[].

The nut contains 8-12% fat that has characteristics comparable with hydrogenated coconut oil. It can be made edible by refining it with an alkali[].

Medicinal

Betel palm is an astringent, stimulant herb that relieves hunger, abdominal discomfort and weariness. It kills intestinal parasites and other pathogens, and also has diuretic and laxative effects[]. It is used mainly in veterinary medicine to expel tapeworms[].

The seed is used against anaemia, fits, leucoderma, leprosy, obesity and worms[]. It is also used in the treatment of dysentery and malaria[]. In combination with other ingredients, it is also a purgative and an ointment for nasal ulcers[].

Kernels of green and mature fruits are chewed as an astringent and stimulant, often with the leaves or fruit of betel pepper (Piper betle) and slaked lime[, ]. The rind is also used as a laxative in cases of constipation with flatulence and bloating, as well as a diuretic in treating oedema[]. The fruits are harvested when fully ripe, and can be dried for later use[].

The areca nut decoction as well as arecoline and its salts have been found to be effective on various parasitic helminth infections such as those caused by Taenia spp[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Experimental evidence indicates that intercropping with areca nut is not harmful to the main crop[]. When intercropped with black pepper, it acts as a live standard for training the pepper plants. Banana, cardamom, cowpea, paddy, pineapple, sorghum, vegetables and yams are also grown by farmers as intercrops with areca nut[].

Other Uses

The leaves are used for thatching[]. In some parts of Sri Lanka the chief vessels used for carrying water are made from the leaves of this graceful palm, which, being of leather-like consistency, are easily converted into strong and durable water buckets[].
The leaf sheath is made into cups, plates, and bags for holding plantains, sweetmeats, and fish[].
The flower sheath is made into skullcaps, small umbrellas, and dishes[].

The husk fibres are predominantly composed of cellulose with varying proportions of hemi-cellulose, lignin, pectin and protopectin. Based on various tests, it has been proposed that the husk fibre could be used in making such items as thick boards, fluffy cushions and non-woven fabrics. Trial experiments have shown that satisfactory yield and quality of brown wrapping paper could be prepared from blends of areca nut and bamboo or banana pseudostem pulp[].
Areca nut husk can be a good source of furfural. Possibilities of producing activated carbon from the husks have been investigated, and yields of 25-28% have been recorded[].

The plant is a good source of tannins[]. These are used for dyeing clothes, as adhesives in plywood manufacture etc[].

In a trial, a methane extract of the seed at a concentration of 10,000ppm in distilled water reduced the egg hatching of root nematodes by 97% after 21 days compared with a control[].

The nut contains 8-12% fat that has characteristics comparable with hydrogenated coconut oil. It contains both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids[].

The outside portion of betel palm stem forms a useful building material in the villages, and it is widely used throughout southeast Asia for a variety of construction purposes. The timber can also be used in making a variety of utility articles such as rulers, shelves and waste paper baskets[]. Nails made from areca stem are widely used in the furniture industry[].

Propagation

Seed - sow in containers[]. The seed has a short viability so only fresh seed should be used[]. Germination usually takes place in 6 - 13 weeks[].

Areca nut is exclusively seed propagated. Seed nuts are allowed to ripen completely on the tree and then dried in the sun for 1-2 days before sowing 2.5 cm apart in shallow pits. Drying does not seem to improve germination rate.

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