I used to think that the
'date' palm was the only, quality, edible fruit palm. And, I'd always been jealous that it grew in the Spanish Canary Islands, where my grandma was from, but it doesn't bear fruit here in South Florida, USA.
After spending many years looking for a quality fruit bearing palm tree, Forum Member Nullzero recently reported about the
'Pindo' palm tree, for which I'm quite grateful. Now, I'm in the process of finding someone or a nursery that sells a quality specimen.
Today, I learned that another edible fruit palm,
'Vanuatu carpoxylon', which was thought to be extinct, has been found alive and well, and is being propagated here in South Florida, USA!
The following is from an Article "by Kenneth Setzer/Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden: Rare Palm is Lost, then Rediscovered"
"These palms are originally from the remote volcanic island nation of Vanuatu in the South Pacific, about 1,000 miles east of Australia...This palm can grow to an impressive 50 feet tall, though some sources say it can grow much taller... Carpoxylons produce a beautiful large elliptical fruit, two incles or so long, maturing to a deep red. Their descriptive binomial name translaes into something like "large, woody seed." The fruits are edible, evidently tasting like coconut."
...
"Fairchild's specimens are flourishing outdoors in our subtropical clime, growing in the bright shade of taller palm species and in our rainsforest. If you have an area that fits the bill, there's no reason you can't grow this rare palm at home."
I wonder which fruit has the best quality fruit, the 'Pindo' palm, or the 'Vanuatu carpoxylon'. From what's known about the 'Pindo' palm fruit, I think it's hard to beat. All in all, some years ago I thought there were no quality fruit palms at my location, and now there are two, now that's what I call progress, thank you 'Fairchild Gardens'. The Article fails to decisively confirm, at least to for me, that this palm bears fruit here. I plan to call Fairchild and see if I can get confirmation.
Link to Article:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/09/28/3652440/from-extinction-to-your-yard-a.html