| Sumario: | The peach palm Guilielma gasipaes (HBK) L H. Bailey, is beginning to be cultivated on a larger scale in Costa Rica for the production of its edible fruits. This palm grows in areas of low elevation and high rainfall. The morphological characteristics of the plant are described, highlighting the fruits, which vary greatly in size, shape and color and occasionally lack seeds. They are of high nutritional value, especially in vitamin A, nicotinic acid and sometimes vitamin C. The palms weigh up to 25 pounds with up to 300 fruits and 2 harvests can be obtained per year. The thorns on the trunk are described, with 5% of the trunks in Costa Rica being thornless. Near the base, they produce suckers that can reproduce vegetatively. For consumption, the fruit is cooked in salt water and eaten alone or with other ingredients. The heart of palm made from the tender leaves of the heart is also highly valued. From the sap, a fermented drink is prepared. The flowers are sometimes used as food. The wood, very hard, has multiple applications. Methods of harvesting finches are described, especially those that involve climbing the stem. Commercialization of the fruit seems promising. To establish more productive plantations, it seems necessary to reduce variation in the fiato and the number of thorns, which can be done by genetic methods. It is also necessary to quickly utilize the finches after harvesting, and canning may be considered.
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