Common Name: Jaggary Palm

General Information

Jaggary palm is a solitary-stemmed, evergreen palm growing up to 20 metres tall. The straight, unbranched stem, which can be 30cm in diameter, is topped by a rosette of large gracefully curved leaves that can each be up to 6 metres long[, ].
The plant is widely cultivated in gardens in the tropics for its wide range of uses[, ]. It is also grown commercially for its sap, which is used to make sugar and alcoholic beverages, whilst its fibre is exported from Sri Lanks[, ]. It is also often grown as an ornamental in gardens[].

Known Hazards

The fruit is capable of irritating the skin and causing a burning sensation[].

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - India, Sri Lanka.

Habitat

Limestone areas and valley forests at elevations of 370 - 1,500 metres in southern China[]. An understorey tree in moist lowland and submontane forests[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	12.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Bees
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Plants are found 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[]. They can also succeed in warm temperate zones and in drier areas with an annual rainfall as low as 250mm and one month or more where rainfall is below 25mm[, ]. Mature plants can be killed by temperatures of 5°c or lower[].
Plants grow well in full sun, even when small[]. Prefers a moist, shady situation[, ]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7.5, tolerating 5.5 - 8[].
A slow-growing plant[].
A monocarpic species, living for several years without flowering, but then dying once it has flowered[]. It attains full size in about 10 - 15 years, and then flowers for another 5 or more years[]. It flowers from the top down, and once the last fruit on the bottom inflorescence matures, the plant dies.[].
The daily yield per tree of sap for wine and sugar can be 20 - 27 litres[].
When flowering begins, the inflorescence is stimulated to produce juice; the inflorescence is then bound into a 'candle' form and tapped for its sweet juice by repeatedly slicing off the end of the candle. A tapping period may last for 10 - 15 years before the tree dies[].
Harvest for sago and other purposes is mainly from wild and semi-wild populations. The trunk yields 100 - 150 kilos of starch. Usually harvests for timber occurs when the tapping period has ended[].

Edible Uses

The sap extracted from the inflorescence of the plant is used to make sugar and alcoholic beverages[, ].
A primary product of the plant in rural communities is the sugar substitute called kitul honey or jaggary obtained from the juice from the flowers (should this read sap?[]). This is concentrated in large, wide-mouthed vessels on an open fire to prepare a viscous, golden syrup with a delicious flavour. The sap can be further concentrated to give kitul jaggary (candy)[].
Sap collected from the inflorescence is fermented with a crude, mixed inoculum of yeast to obtain toddy. This beverage can be distilled, as is coconut toddy, to prepare a more concentrated spirit[].

A starch obtained from the stems is used to make sago[, , , ]. Because the outside stem is very tough, the plant tends to get utilized for its starch mainly in times of food shortage[].

Leaves - cooked[]. The very young unfolding leaves and leaf bud are cooked and eaten as a vegetable[, , ]. A somewhat bitter flavour[]. Harvesting this terminal bud effectively kills the tree since it is unable to make side shoots and so cannot produce new growth[].

The seeds can be used as a masticatory in place of betel nut (Areca catechu)[].

Medicinal

A porridge prepared from the seed flour is prescribed by local physicians to treat gastric ulcers, migraine headaches, snake-bite poisoning and rheumatic swellings[].

The root is used for treating tooth ailments[].

The bark and seed are used to treat boils[].

The tender flowers are used for promoting hair growth[].

Other Uses

A very strong, fine, soft and durable fibre is obtained from the leaf bases[]. It is used to make a wide range of products, but especially brooms, brushes, ropes, baskets etc[, , , ]. It is also used for stuffing cushions[]. The fibre becomes very pliable after being steeped in linseed oil[].
A woolly substance, or scurf, scraped from the leaf-stalks is used for caulking boats[]. It is also extensively used in machine brushes for polishing linen and cotton yarns, for cleaning flax fibre after it is scutched, for brushing velvets, and other similar purposes[].

The leaves are used for thatching[].

The mature wood in the outer portion of the stem is strong, heavy and durable. The stem yields an inferior timber sometimes used for construction purposes, especially in traditional buildings, for purposes such as planking, flooring, rafters, roofing, partitioning and fencing, and also for making spears. The stem, cut lengthways in half with its centre scooped out, is used for gutters and drains, or to convey water over long distances. Polished stems are used as monoliths in modern houses[, ].

Propagation

Seed -
At room temperature the seeds remain viable for 30 - 90 days, depending on storage conditions. An experiment in Sri
Lanka on the effect of seed storage and exposure to sunlight revealed a germination rate of 99% for seeds sown after
30-day storage in a dark room[].

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