See also: Sago Palm Tree

The closest relative of the African Oil palm tree (Elaeis guineensis) is the American oil palm (Elais oleifera), also known as the Cohune palm and Attalea cohune. It is native to tropical Central America and South America. The American oil palm tree naturally occurs in tropical rainforests from Costa Rica to the Amazon region in Brazil. Compare to the Elaeis guineensis, the Elais oleifera has never gained economic importance and quite rare in the world. The American oil palm is used locally for palm oil in the regions in which it is native.

The American oil palm is an elegant palm with large (up to 30 feet long) erect pinnate leaves. Young oil palm trees have an underground trunk for many years. The Elais oleifera bears long (up to 5 feet) flower cluters among the leaves and produces creamy-yellow oblong fruits similar to date palm fruits. The fruits yield a palm oil, but its oil yield is not as high as the yield from African oil palm trees.

The American oil palm prefers sunny, moist, well-drained locations. It is much better adapted to wet soils than the African oil palm tree. The Elais oleifera is very sensitive to frost.

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