Sago Palm (Metroxylon sagu)

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

A native to tropical Southeastern Asia, Metroxylon sagu or commonly known as Sago Palm is a multiple-stemmed palm growing about 25 m in height. It has an upright terminal inflorescence and pinnate leaves. The fruit is drupe-like and covered in scales. The trunk is the main source of a starch known as sago which is used in cooking and as food thickener. The apical bud is cooked or consumed raw.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Fruit, Shoots

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

Flavor & Culinary Uses

rich in starch. — The pith of the stem is rich in starch.; This has been widely used to make sago.; The stem is cut down shortly before the tree flowers, since the carbohydrate content is then at its highest.; It is chopped into sections and the fibrous inside is washed to extract the starch.

Habitat & North American Range

Lowland rain forest. Dominates mainly in permanent or seasonal lowland freshwater swamps, preferably on mineral soils with a pH higher than 4.5. (Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8)