Areca Palm

Biology

The areca palm belongs to the palm family, reaching up to 12 metres in height. Its curvy and long leaves are composed of about 40 pairs of green leaflets. Is has small white fragrant flowers and the green-yellow fruit becomes purple with maturation. Attractive to the eye and the nose, it serves as a food source for some bird species.

Conservation

Naturalized in Caribbean countries such as Cuba and Dominican Republic, and in Venezuela.

Curiosities

Experiments conducted by NASA have shown that areca palm filters some pollutants from the air. This is due to the fact that at about two metres in height, the plant will transpire one litre of water per 24 hours, thereby making it an effective humidifier.