Palmyra or “Toddy” Palm

Also known as Daub Palm, Tala Palm, Ice Apple Palm, and Wine Palm

Binomial name: Borassus flabellifer

The Palmyra is one of my favorite palm trees. We have half a dozen great specimens at the gardens. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The blooms of the tree develop into nine-inch fruits, each containing one to three seeds. The sugary fruit is used in many Bengali sweet dishes. And “toddy,” the sap of the tree, is often fermented to make alcoholic beverages, including palm wine and an early version of the traditional yuletide drink that we know as the “hot toddy.”

For more information about Paradise Palms, click here.