Bactris setosa (more fat than avocado or coconut! Cold hearty, Flood tolerant)

[FlyingFoxFruits]

fruits turning purple very slowly still.

come on thorns...keep on keeping the animals away!

[FlyingFoxFruits]

i ended up picking the Tucum fruits a bit early....in fear that someone or thing would steal them.  I really wanted all of the seeds.

maybe next time they can get riper and larger...

the were not too large, and had only about 15% pulp to seed ratio at best...I'm assuming it would be much better if I let them get fully ripe...these fruits are a tease on the tree, something like Jaboticaba..they achieve full coloration, but are not fully ripe..they must sit on the tree for a while before they're ready.

the flavor was like a granny smith jaboticaba,...and I was surprised that they were so palatable when picked early.

(I'm wondering if I can eat the seeds??  I think this is the source of all the fat??  I'm thinking of breaking into one...but I don't recall if they're edible?)

oh well...regardless, I'm happy to have this one...I know the fruits would be good for juicing....but I will need a larger crop.....maybe in a few years??  For now they are an intriguing nibble...I can't wait to taste them when they're fully ripe....maybe it will make another crop soon??

[FlyingFoxFruits]

I was doing some research...and somehow found the obscure website that lead me to my destination years ago, when searching for a mature Tucum palm.  (I haven't been able to find one since!)

http://bizmark.8m.com/custom.html

its neat because the website has some info about my particular specimen..the owner sold it to me, and it was the only one he had.....

here is a quote from his website..

"Bactris setosa
A new addition in Spring 2001, a small seedling that like most all other Bactris is very fast growing and a quick clumper to boot. Began forming divided feather leafs in 2003, clumps at a prolific rate (more than 3 or 4 per yr). Its native range in Brazil is farther south than any other Bactris extending well down the Atlantic slope. Heavy damage (but quick recovery) from 25F low in 1/03. Is now growing in deep shade so very slow growth, only 4 ft overall now. Plus the very dry soil is of little help. Needs a swampy location, not a possibilty here. "


BTW...I had no idea the plant was so old!  I think it suffered a few set backs as a juvenile tree

[FlyingFoxFruits]

something else I found out...

the seed kernels (embryos) are edible, and this is the source of the high fat content.

I tried crushing a seed with a hammer to extract the white meat within....but found out that is difficult to extract....and there must be a trick.

I was hoping to be able to easily remove the embryo, but the seed coat was pretty much impossible to separate from the embryo (which looked like a little nugget of coconut)

I tried to crush the seed even more, hoping to shatter the seed coat, to where I could pick out the pieces, but this proved ineffective....the small rock hard fragments of seed coat were stubbornly adherent to the white meat ... I couldn't even  get a taste!

I wonder how they make use  this plants high fat content in Brazil??

[Luisport]

Some very interesting Bactris sp photos https://www.flickr.com/photos/plants_of_russian_in_brazil/sets/72157629829488798/

[Luisport]

another one: https://www.flickr.com/photos/plants_of_russian_in_brazil/sets/72157629992182963/

[FlyingFoxFruits]

I've decided to plant my 25 gal tree soon, I have a wet spot in the yard that should make it happy.

I'll be sure to post pics when I'm finished.

I wonder if anyone got some seeds germinated from the batch I sold last year?

[FlyingFoxFruits]

excuse the low quality pic, i'm using my phone for now...but I planted the Tucum in a real wet spot...right underneath a big oak tree...I'm waiting to see how it responds!

[fruitlovers]

I've decided to plant my 25 gal tree soon, I have a wet spot in the yard that should make it happy.

I'll be sure to post pics when I'm finished.

I wonder if anyone got some seeds germinated from the batch I sold last year?

I think some of your seeds are coming up. Not 100% because somehow the label got lost...but i don't plant so many palm...so it's probably it.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

i planted only two palm species last year, b setosa, and syagrus macrocarpa...did u plant those too?  the S. macrocarpa has germinated! but i don't see any bactris yet.

I've decided to plant my 25 gal tree soon, I have a wet spot in the yard that should make it happy.

I'll be sure to post pics when I'm finished.

I wonder if anyone got some seeds germinated from the batch I sold last year?

I think some of your seeds are coming up. Not 100% because somehow the label got lost...but i don't plant so many palm...so it's probably it.

[fruitlovers]

i planted only two palm species last year, b setosa, and syagrus macrocarpa...did u plant those too?  the S. macrocarpa has germinated! but i don't see any bactris yet.

Oh yeah, i forgot about the Syagrus i also got from you. It could also be that one.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

something else I found out...

the seed kernels (embryos) are edible, and this is the source of the high fat content.

I tried crushing a seed with a hammer to extract the white meat within....but found out that is difficult to extract....and there must be a trick.

I was hoping to be able to easily remove the embryo, but the seed coat was pretty much impossible to separate from the embryo (which looked like a little nugget of coconut)

I tried to crush the seed even more, hoping to shatter the seed coat, to where I could pick out the pieces, but this proved ineffective....the small rock hard fragments of seed coat were stubbornly adherent to the white meat ... I couldn't even  get a taste!

I wonder how they make use  this plants high fat content in Brazil??

i may have stumbled upon a book that describes a method for making use of the seed kernels....apparently the seeds of a similar Bactris species are eaten a bit early, when the fruits are green and the embryo is very soft, and much more palatable.

I will have to try eating the embryo of the seed when the fruit is immature!

[FlyingFoxFruits]

have 4 flower spikes coming out!  the palm tree is super happy since I planted it in the ground!

sorry the photo only shows one...I will get better pics later....

[FlyingFoxFruits]

flowering now:

[wonderfruit]

I never tryed. However I tryed Butia eriosphata an elegant palm cold tolerant. And the fruit is delicious..
the only thing is it does not tolerate wet feet.

[Pan Dulce]

Hopefully you can wait the fruit out until they are sweet! 

Sounds like an awesome fruiting palm for us in 9B

[FlyingFoxFruits]