Juçara Palm Heart

Growing in the forests in the southeastern part of Brazil, Juçara tree is characterized by a straight and thin trunk which grows up to 15 meters in height. It requires little sunlight and no fertilizers at all. Before the palm heart is extracted, the tree must be at least 8 to 10 years old.

It is used in its entirety – the leaves for chairs and beds, the wood for building houses, the berries for an acidic juice, and the palm heart for boiling, roasting, and frying. The palm heart can also be consumed in its own with honey, because the Guaraní people don’t use salt and sugar.

The heart is removed by cutting the top of the trunk and stripping the bark with a machete. It is typically sold while still fresh, on the spot, or to nearby restaurants for further processing. Due to the fact that it takes anywhere from 8 to 10 years to consume Juçara palm heart, it is considered rare and precious, even more so because vast groves of these palms have disappeared due to over-harvesting.