African fan palm (Borassus aethiopum), 3 seeds /$20, shipping$10, phyto cert.$12

3 seeds /purchase

General Information:

African fan palm is a robust to massive, single-stemmed, evergreen palm with an unbranched stem that can ultimately reach 20 - 30 metres long by 40 - 50cm diameter, swollen at the base to 85cm, and in old age at about 50 years also swollen above the mid-point to about 80cm diameter. The large, fan shaped leaves are up to 4 metres long and 3 metres across, deeply divided into leaflets, and thorny at the base.

A very useful multipurpose tree that is widely utilized for food, medicine and a wide range of commodities. All parts of the tree are used. The fruits are often sold in local markets. The plant is also grown as an ornamental.

The widespread usage of this plant, especially eating the bud and tapping the sap, has greatly reduced the numbers of these palms in their native habitat.

The plant usually flowers and produces fruit all year round.


Edible Uses:

Fruit - fresh or dried, slightly sweet, but with a mild turpentine-like flavour. The fruits have a large, fibrous pulp, weighing around 500g each, that smells strongly of turpentine. They are consumed raw or cooked, preferably with rice, eaten as a food supplement and rich in oil. The ripe, fallen fruit are collected, peeled and the juicy pulp is squeezed in water to form a solution which is added to porridge during cooking in order to improve the flavour. 

The fruit is 15cm in diameter and is produced in large clusters.

The immature seed contains a sweet juice which can be drunk like coconut water. As it matures, it solidifies becoming jelly-like and eventually solid. It can be eaten at all stages, the flavour gradually becoming more nut-like.

Young seedlings - eaten as a vegetable like asparagus and highly esteemed. 

The mature seeds can be buried in pits and allowed to germinate, and the shoots are said to be a delicacy. The tuberous portion of the first juvenile leaves are rich in starch - they make a highly prized vegetable.

Medicinal:

The roots serve for the treatment of stomach parasites, bronchitis, sore throats and asthma, as well as being used for a mouthwash.

The leaves are used for various purposes including for shelter, thatch, making mats and baskets. Young leaves, before unfolding, can be split into strips and woven into thin mats, baskets and other household 
objects. Mature leaves are used for thatch.

A fibre obtained from the leaves is used for making nets.

The leaf petioles are used for making furniture, baskets, fences etc.
The fibre extracted from the base of the leaf stalk has valuable qualities of resistance to chemicals, termites and water.
The leafstalk endings can be soaked in water to provide fibres that are used as sponges or filters.

The leaf midribs are used to make brooms, fish traps and nets.

An oil is extracted from the fruit.

Ashes from the male flowers make a good potash.

The dark brown, coarsely fibrous wood is a highly prized timber locally. It is very solid, hard, heavy, very resistant to termites and fungi. It is difficult to saw, plane or sand; splits when nailed. Only the outer part of the stem, between the base and the first swelling, is suitable for use. This layer, which can be 7 - 10cm thick on male trees, but only 4 - 5cm on female trees, is used in carpentry, construction, for telegraph poles, piers, and also for household articles.


Propagation:

The seed does not require pre-treatment and germinated in about 4 weeks. The plant produces a very long taproot, which can be 1 metre long when top growth is only 1cm tall, and so it is best sown in situ.