Title: Heart of Palm : Substitutes, Ingredients, Equivalents - GourmetSleuth
Headings: Heart of Palm
Heart of Palm
What is Heart of Palm?
The Palm Plant
Substitute for Heart of Palm
Equivalents
Favorite Heart of Palm Recipes

Content: The principal variety of cultivated heart of palm is Bactris gasipaes, or peach palm. The correct term is "heart of palm" not "hearts of palm". As the grower explained to us, each plant only has one heart. The Palm Plant
The peach palm is a pinnate-leaved, suckering palm, frequently armed with spines. Our palms are spineless because we use selective growing, where those with spines are destroyed. Those palms not armed with spines make the handling of the palm and heart easier and more efficient. When the palm reaches a mature height of approximately 6 feet tall, with a diameter of about 4 inches, it is ready to be harvested and shipped to our buyers. The peach palm attains this height and diameter between 18 and 30 months of age. The heart of palm is sweet, soft, yet crispy, ivory-colored, firm in texture and delicate in flavor. The palm heart or palmetto does not discolor upon being cut and has a shelf life of about 2 weeks if kept refrigerated at 40°F, and wrapped in food-grade plastic.