Common Name:

General Information

Arenga brevipes is a solitary-stemmed, evergreen palm. The unbranched stem is crowned by a rosette of large leaves.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use of its edible bud. All species in this genus have either recognized or potential ornamental value[].

Known Hazards

The fruits of most species in this genus are poisonous and are sometimes used criminally[].
The fleshy mesocarp of the fruits usually contains many oxalate crystals, making the flesh inedible[].

Botanical References

Range

Southeastern Asia - Indonesia.

Habitat

Rainforests[]. Primary rainforest, only rarely in secondary growth areas, at lower elevations[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	0.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a warm, sheltered and moist position[].
The tree does not flower until it is mature. A flowering shoot is produced from each node on the stem, commencing with the node at the top of the plant and working down to the base. Vegetative growth ceases when the first flowering shoot is produced, and the stem dies once flowers have been produced from the basal node[, ]. Solitary-stemmed species, such as this one, die after flowering[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - cooked[]. The apical bud, known as a 'palm heart' is eaten as a vegetable[, ]. Eating the bud causes the death of the tree since it is unable to form side shoots[].

The stem pith is eaten[].
The taller Arenga palms store large quantities of starch in their stem that are later converted into sugar to be translocated to the inflorescences. The sugar can be drawn off in the juice by tapping the peduncle and rachis of the male inflorescence. By far the most important sugar producer in the genus is Arenga pinnata, but other species are used similarly. The starch of the stem can also be harvested[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The leaves are used for thatching and wickerwork[].

Propagation

Seed - a deep root is formed before the seedling emerges above soil level, and so the seed should be sown in individual, deep containers. Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water before sowing. It can take 3 - 6 months or more before signs of growth are seen above soil level[].

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