Phytelephas aequatorialis aka Ivory Palm

Phytelephas aequatorialis is an evergreen palm from western Ecuador. It belongs to the palm family, Arecaceae. Names include ivory palm, corozo, and tagua. It grows beneath rain forest trees in wet tropical areas. Its range includes coastal lowlands and land near rivers. It reaches elevations of about 4,920 feet [1,500 metres]. People grow it and retain trees when clearing forest for pasture.

Garden size is listed as 39 feet [12 metres] tall. Its spread reaches about 16 feet [5 metres]. Other accounts give heights of 10–49 feet [3–15 metres]. One summary reports trees reaching 52 feet [16 metres]. The palm grows at a moderate pace and has one unbranched trunk. The trunk measures about 0.8–1 foot [0.25–0.30 metres] across. A rounded crown holds 15–25 leaves. Individual leaves can reach 16–20 feet [5–6 metres] long.

Male and female flowers grow on separate plants. Both sexes must grow together to produce fruit and seed. Beetles, flies, and bees pollinate the flowers. The fruit has orange flesh that people eat. Young seeds contain liquid endosperm, which people drink. As the endosperm firms into a jelly, people eat it. The ripe seed provides the hard material called vegetable ivory.

This palm suits warm sites in USDA zones 10–12. It grows in full sun or partial shade. It prefers moist soil that drains well. Suitable soils include sand, loam, and clay. It tolerates mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline conditions. Its large leaf crown gives it a bold tree form. Its uses extend beyond planting: people use leaves for thatch. They shape vegetable ivory into buttons, beads, chess pieces, and carvings. The species supplies the vegetable ivory exported from Ecuador.

People also cook the leaves and eat the apical bud. Taking this bud kills the palm, which cannot form side shoots. The sources report no known hazards or medicinal uses. This does not establish safety for every person or animal. Useful Tropical Plants cites a 2011 Near Threatened assessment. Heavy fruit harvest is the main threat it reports. Collectors remove whole ripe fruit clusters, leaving no seeds from those clusters for natural renewal.