The Pindo Palm - Butia capitata [BEW-tee-uh, kap-ih-TAY-tuh] has a low, thick trunk and is a stocky perennial palm tree with enormous tolerance for cold temperatures. Butia capitata is known as one of the most cold-hardy palms.
This member of the Arecaceae family is native to Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil.
Butia capitata is also known as the Pindo Palm or Jelly Palm.
This second common name refers to the fact that the plant produces large quantities of edible dates (fruit), which are often used to make jelly.
The Pindo Palm is a slow-growing palm that takes years to reach a height of 3 to 6 meters.
Therefore, when purchasing your Butia capitata palms, look for ones that have been in stock at the nursery for at least three years.
This way, you already start with a little height. The foliage of the Pindo Palm is very attractive. The blue-gray, feathery leaves grow in gentle curves and can reach almost 2 meters in length.
The fragrant flowers appear in spring and can be white, yellow, or red.
They grow in clusters of three consisting of one female flower and two male flowers.
As summer progresses, the flowers turn into tasty yellow, orange, or reddish-brown fruits, which are attractive to wildlife and useful to people.
Unfortunately, they are also quite messy because they scatter the ground around the tree with sticky, tacky clumps.
For this reason, you should plant your Jelly Palm far away from decks, walkways, streets, and other places where fallen fruit is sure to cause problems.
These compact palm trees do very well in partial shade to full sun.
They can tolerate temperatures as low as -15°C, and you often see them growing along the east coast of the United States as far north as North Carolina. They are hardy in USDA hardiness zones 8 through 11.
Like most palms, the Pindo Palm does not like standing in water.
Wait until the top 7.5 cm of soil around the tree is dry, then water slowly and deeply. This saturates the soil with water to a minimum depth of 60 cm.
It is often a good idea to place a soaker hose in a circle around the tree to thoroughly soak the soil without wetting the tree's trunk.
Too much moisture in the soil or on the trunk can cause trunk and root rot.
Alternatively, or in addition, dig a small trench around the tree to use as an irrigation ditch.
Fertilize your Pindo palm (Butia Capitata) four times a year.
Use a specialized palm fertilizer rich in micronutrients with an NPK ratio of 8 – 4 – 12.
Use granular fertilizer and spread it evenly over the soil beneath the tree's canopy.
Water the tree deeply immediately to prevent the fertilizer from scorching the roots.
Read the instructions on the fertilizer packaging very carefully and follow them precisely.
The Jelly Palm tolerates all soil types as long as they are well-draining. These palm trees prefer a neutral pH.
As mentioned, place your palm tree at least 3 meters away from anything you do not want covered with sticky fruit.
It is best to transplant Pindo palm seedlings in spring or early summer.
Dig a hole twice the size of the root ball.
It should be exactly the right depth to match the depth at which the plant was grown.
Place the seedling in the center of the hole and fill the hole with the surrounding soil.
Measure the diameter of the tree's trunk and add a few ounces of palm fertilizer to the soil for each centimeter.
Water daily for the next few weeks.
Gradually reduce watering over several months, but never allow the soil to dry out completely.
Your new Pindo palm should become reasonably drought-tolerant after a few years.
Pindo palm trees (Butia Capitata) need to be pruned regularly to maintain a neat appearance because they do not shed their dead leaves. Once the leaves die, you should prune them.
Avoid pruning healthy green leaves, as this causes stress to the tree.
It is especially stressful to remove green leaves that point upward or grow horizontally.
Spray your Butia Capitata palm tree thoroughly and regularly with water during the hot, dry summer months.
This will help remove grit, sand, and dust that accumulates on the stems and leaves.
Keeping the leaves clean supports efficient photosynthesis.
Occasionally spraying also helps knock bothersome insects, such as mites, off the foliage.
Grow your own Pindo palm (Butia capitata) by collecting the ripe fruit when it falls to the ground, removing the pits, and cracking them open to expose the Butia capitata seed.
Keep the potting mix moist during germination by spraying with filtered water or rainwater as needed. The growing medium should always feel slightly moist.
Diseases and pests are usually not a problem for Jelly Palms.
Overwatering can cause root and trunk rot.
Compromised palm trees may be subject to attacks by mites, scale insects, and possibly other insects. But a well-cared-for tree will not attract these pests.
Be very attentive to your palm tree's nutritional needs.
Micronutrient deficiencies can cause problems for Pindo Palms.
Remember to fertilize regularly and avoid keeping the tree in soil with a high pH. An excessively high pH tends only to worsen the problem.
There is nothing poisonous about these palm trees.
The fruits are edible and tasty and are very attractive to squirrels and other tree-dwelling mammals.
These slow-growing, elegant palms perform well individually as ornamental plants.
Their medium size makes them a good choice for smaller gardens and courtyards.
Because they tolerate strong winds, air pollution, and several other adverse conditions, they are often chosen for planting along highway medians.
The Pindo Palm (Butia capitata) is also a new addition to a wildlife garden.
The sweet, abundant fruit of the Butia Capitata attracts a wide variety of native wildlife. The light yellow, orange, or reddish-brown fruit is very useful in its own right.
The pulp of the Butia Capitata is used to make jelly, and the seeds are roasted and used as a coffee substitute.
Visit the shop and easily order some fresh Butia Capitata seeds to grow them yourself in just a few steps. You will also receive the free growing instructions.
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