Buriti Palm (Mauritia flexuosa)

Family: Arecaceae | Edibility: Choice Edible (4/5)

Mauritia flexuosa or commonly known as Buriti Palm or Moriche Palm is a slow-growing, dioecious palm tree that grows on wet areas, like swamps, in South America. It reaches a height of about 35 m and a trunk diameter of up to 50 cm. The crown is rounded and composed of large green leaves. The flowers are yellow. The bark is gray-brown to black. The fruits are chestnut color and covered with shiny scales. It yields edible oil.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Fruit, Leaves, Shoots, Sap/Syrup

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer, Spring, Winter

Flavor & Culinary Uses

Rich in vitamins and oil. — An edible oil is obtained from the fruit.; The fleshy fruit is eaten raw.; Rich in vitamins and oil.; The fruit is also dried and ground into a flour.

Habitat & North American Range

Riverine swamps. Found in poorly drained or periodically flooded soils. Usually in permanently swampy areas, often forming extensive, high-density stands; also in gallery forests; usually at elevations below 500 metres, occ. to 900 metres. (Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8)