The Oil palm (scientific name Elaeis Guineensis), also known as the African Oil palm is native to tropical Africa, occuring between Angola and Gambia and doesn’t make the list of florida palm trees. The Elaeis Guineensis has been cultivated for centuries in West and Central Africa and Southeast Asia (especially Malaysia and Indonesia) as a source of oil. Edible palm oil, yellowish in color, extracted from the fruit and seed of the oil palm, is used in everything from cooking oil and margarine to soap, cosmetics and candles. Palm oil is high in saturated fats. The Elaeis guineensis is also cultivated throughout the tropics as an ornamental tree.

Another tropical tree is also called the oil palm: the American oil palm (Elaeis oleifera) which is native to Central America and South America.

The Oil palm tree has a single, erect, ringed trunk and massive dark green feather-shaped fronds and is not a fan palm tree. It can gain a height of 50-60 feet. The majestic tree produces  both male and female cream flowers on the same tree but in separate clusters.

The Oil palm bears large bunches of nutlike fleshy orange-red fruits similar to the date palm . It takes four to five years to mature and start bearing fruits. They ripen 5 or 6 months after pollination. The fruits are orange-red in color when ripe because of very high content of beta-carotene.

Oil palm trees are very easy to grow. They grow best in full sun and are very adaptable to different soils. The tropical trees are salt tolerant and can be grown near ocean side areas.

The Oil palm trees are propagated by seeds. The seeds germinate in 3-6 months. The seeds need 95 F or more to germinate.

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