Epicurian Delicacy - Jelly Palm - Butia capitata

Hello all,
 
Anyone know or grow the jelly palm, Butia capitata?  If not you should try
it.  I was very surprised late this summer to see my jelly palm had produced
three foot long and narrow bracts.  I couldn't believe this palm planted
last year from a five gallon container was already flowering.  After waiting
several weeks, eventually the bracts broke open to reveal a rusty brown
colored inflorescence that opened to creamy white flowers,  Later these were
transformed into sprays of hard green fruit.  Then the sprays of green fruit
slowly started to ripen.  Now its December and one bunch of the fruit of my
jelly palm is ripe.  The fruit is about the size of a quarter and is both
sweet and tart.  My husband says it has a taste similar to pineapple.  To my
taste buds this fruit is an epicurian delicacy and I highly recommend it to
grow.  The skin and flesh is a light golden orange color similar to apricot
or loquat with a large seed in the middle.  But the taste is worth the
effort for such a large seeded, small fruit.  Hopefully when my tree grows
to a larger size, I will be rewarded with many more bunches of fruit.
Presently my tree has three bunches of fruit, two with golden fruit and one
still somewhat green.  There is another bract that has not opened and I am
hoping it will open in the spring.  I am covering the bunches of fruit with
a towel when frost is expected.  Not only does the palm produce fruit, but
the feathery blue green leaf fronds make this palm attractive as a landscape
speciment tree.

Linda Starr
Springville Lavender Gardens
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