Butia odorata

This palm is formally classified as Butia capitata var odorata. Many experts consider it should be a separate species, and having seen the palm growing in the wild I can only agree, as it could not be more different.

Native to Southern Brazil and named locally Butia de bahia ` or Butia of the beach , the palm is small compared to the usual Butia capitata , the trunk is very fine and the palm rarely reaches 3m height. The span rarely exceeds 2 metres. Considerably hardy, and extremely beautiful, it is extremely hard to understand why this palm is not in cultivation. It will make the perfect palm for the small European garden and seems destined for a successful introduction into general cultivation.

The flowers are small and usually yellow , fruit ovoid, the seed is small and distinctly spheroid, the shape of a rugby ball. The petioles carry quite ferocious spines for a Butia and the trunk carries very little fibre.

The palm grows by the million in parts of Southern Brazil along the coast , where every house seems to have a palm in the front garden as it is small , decorative with beautiful blue/silvery leaves , produces tasty fruits and never gets too large.

Along the coastal habitat fires occur regularly ,older palms had fire damaged trunks and this restricts their ultimate size, inland we found them growing in pasture where fire was not occurring and they had achieved a much greater height.

Pictures show Butia odorata in habitat, and at bottom, in cultivation.