Coccothrinax miraguama

miraguama palm

This palm’s heart (the inner core of the palm’s trunk near the top of the tree) and fruits are edible. Trunks are used to make fence posts and pilings in salt water due to the wood’s ability to withstand rot. Early European settlers who farmed turtles used the trunks to make turtle corrals in the water. Leaves are used to make brooms (currently the most important modern use), baskets, rope and hats. In Haiti, oil from the seeds is used to revive the sense of smell.

The palm is very slow growing and produces beautiful circular fronds; aesthetically, it is one of my favorite palms. Here at Kona Kai, we have a couple trees that are growing well in relatively shady locations.