Not all palm seeds are boring brown. Some are bright red, like the seeds of the Seashore Palm. They hang in clusters and look like little cherries that missed their calling as Christmas ornaments. Others are vibrant orange or even purple. It’s like nature decided to make jewelry for the ground.
Palm Tree Seed: A Complete Guide to Planting and Growing Palm
And the texture? Equally wild. Some seeds are as smooth as a marble; others are covered in fuzzy fibers, like a tiny wool sweater that shrunk in the wash. The Jelly Palm seed is actually soft and chewy (yes, you can eat it—it tastes like a date-pineapple hybrid). But don’t go snack-shopping without a guide. Some palm seeds are toxic. Looking at you, Queen Palm.
The Shape-Shifters
Palm seeds can be round like a gumball, oval like a football, or even irregular like a piece of abstract art. The Acai Palm produces small, dark purple berries that look like tiny grapes—and they’re packed with antioxidants. The Parlor Palm? Its seeds are so small they look like black pepper flakes that got lost.
One of the strangest is the Double Coconut Palm seed—which is literally the largest seed in the world. It can weigh up to 60 pounds and looks like a giant, lumpy butt. Seriously—it’s often called the “coco-de-mer” and it’s shaped like two coconuts fused together. I’m not saying it’s rude, but . . . it has curves.
