Attalea speciosa aka Babassu Palm

Attalea speciosa is the babassu palm, also called babacu or aguassú. It belongs to the palm family, Arecaceae. Its native range includes Brazil, Bolivia, Guyana and Suriname. This evergreen tree grows in warm, damp lowlands and rainforest. It can form large thickets and dominate parts of forests. People harvest wild palms and grow them for their many uses.

Babassu grows slowly and has one unbranched trunk. Accounts give heights of 49–66 feet (15–20 metres). Other accounts place taller trees at 98 feet (30 metres). The trunk measures about 0.7–1.6 feet (0.2–0.5 metres) across. Its dense crown holds around 15–20 large, feather-like leaves. Each leaf can reach 16–26 feet (5–8 metres) long. Young plants make large leaves before they form a trunk. People also plant this palm in streets and parks.

Bees and other insects pollinate the flowers. The flower stems have a scent and feature in festivals. Each fruit holds around three to six seeds. These seeds can reach 2.4 inches (6 centimetres) long. Their hard shells make them difficult to open. People eat the seeds raw or cooked, or make nut milk. The seeds also yield cooking oil and a butter substitute. Liquid from young seeds serves as a drink. People ferment stem sap into palm wine and eat the growing bud.

Babassu needs full sun and prefers deep, fertile, well-drained soil. It accepts sandy, loamy and clay soils across a broad pH range. It prefers moist ground but can withstand some drought. Its home climate has high rainfall and a long dry season. In flood-prone sites, it grows on raised ground that escapes flooding. Sources place it in USDA zones 10–12 and note some frost resistance. It can also grow in subtropical areas. Early growth goes into a large root system.

Leaves provide material for roofs and baskets. Seed oil also goes into soap and candles. Local medicine uses leaves, seed liquid and kernels. These reported uses do not establish medical benefit. Babassu helps restore native woodland, but dense regrowth can invade pastures. Its ability to spread needs attention when choosing a site. Fruit surfaces shed fine silicate crystals that can badly harm eyes. This is a physical hazard, not evidence of poisoning.