Euterpe edulis Mart.

A tall palm. It grows to 10 m high. The trunk is slender. It is 12 cm across. The trunks are light grey or brown and has prominent rings of leaf base scars. These are darker and widely spaced. The crown-shaft is prominent. It is 1 m long. The leaves are dark green and have leaflets along the stalk. They are fine and feathery. They are crowded and drooping. The fruit are small, round and black to brown. They are 1-1.4 cm across. They droop in clusters below the crown-shaft.

A tropical plant. It suits the hot, wet tropical lowlands. It can grow under dark conditions. They suit subtropical and temperate locations. They like a rich, well-drained soil. It grows from sea level to 1,000 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 11-12.

The seeds are crushed in water to produce a drink called Assai. The young shoots or cabbage is eaten, cooked or raw. The unopened flower stalk is pickled. The fruit are eaten fresh and used for juices or ice-cream.

The plants are grown from fresh seed. Seed germination can be improved by leaching the seed in water at 30°C for 72 hours. Young plants need protection from direct sun for the first few years. Seed only remain viable for 3 months.