Butia odorata

The South American Jelly Palm, also known as the Pindo Palm, is one of the most cold hardy feather palms and has a long history of scientific reclassification. It is commonly mislabeled as its less cold hardy cousin, Butia capitata. Jelly palms can grow in temperate and subtropical climates up to 20 feet in height with a trunk typically up to 2 feet in diameter. The tree grows quickly once established, pushing 6 or more fronds per year even in cooler climates.

This palm produces a fruit typically yellow-orange in color, which is said to taste like a mix of apricot, pineapple, and vanilla. The fruit is commonly consumed fresh, used to make jelly, or fermented for making wine.

Cold hardy to USDA zone 8a and above, or to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you want to learn more about the fruit of this plant, check out a tasting and review by our friend Weird Explorer on YouTube here.