Açaí palm

Euterpe
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Liliopsida
Order:	Arecales
Family:	Arecaceae
Genus:	Euterpe
Binomial name
Euterpe oleracea

The Açaí palm (Assai palm) is a type of palm tree. There are seven different types of Açaí palms. The tree grows in Central and South America. It has a black-purple fruit about the size of a grape called a euterpe. The seed inside is very big. The fruit grows in bunches of 700 to 900 fruits.

The palms are mainly used for two things: First, salads called palmitos (heart of palm) can be made from the leaves; for this, the tree needs to be cut down. Secondly, the fruits can be made into a fruit juice that is said to be very healthy.

Images

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  The fruits on a market, in Belem

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  A typical serving of açaí juice

Other websites

• Pictures of Açaí palms trees and fruit from an article by The Nature Conservancy.
• University of Florida study confirms that açaí berries contain antioxidants that destroyed cultured human cancer cells
• Jewelry made from Açaí seeds