Acrocomia aculeata Lodd. ex Mart.

A single stemmed palm. It is spiny on the trunk. It grows 12 m tall. The trunk is stout and grey. It is 30 cm across. The leaves are feather like. They are 1-2 m long. The fronds are dark green but paler underneath due to whitish hairs. They have spines. The flowering stalk is about 1.5 m long. The bract is woolly and forms a sheath. The flowers are yellow. Single plants can produce fertile seed. The fruit are round and 5 cm across. They are greenish yellow. The flesh is thin and firm. It is orange. The skin splits when fully ripe.

A tropical plant. It needs well drained soil and good sun. It grows in savannah and open woodland, usually at low altitude. In Bolivia it grows to 900 m altitude. In Argentina it grows between 100-200 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

The sap is used for palm wine. The kernels of the fruit are eaten raw. They have a coconut-like pulp. The palm cabbage is eaten. The outer husk or pulp is edible. The kernels contain cooking oil.

Plants can be grown from seed. Seed are difficult to germinate and this is improved by soaking in warm water or cracking the seed coat. Fresh seed should be planted. Seeds may take 1 year to sprout.