Bactris major var. major

Lata Palm, Prickly Palm

Countries Of Origin: Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico

O:31:"craft\elements\db\CategoryQuery":84:{s:27:"�yii\base\Component�_events";a:0:{}s:35:"�yii\base\Component�_eventWildcards";a:0:{}s:30:"�yii\base\Component�_behaviors";a:1:{s:12:"customFields";O:35:"craft\behaviors\CustomFieldBehavior":154:{s:5:"owner";r:1;s:34:"�yii\base\Behavior�_attachedEvents";a:0:{}s:10:"hasMethods";b:1;s:16:"canSetProperties";b:1;s:8:"address1";N;s:8:"address2";N;s:4:"city";N;s:5:"state";N;s:3:"zip";N;s:7:"country";N;s:11:"climateZone";N;s:6:"czZone";N;s:6:"czCity";N;s:10:"czProvince";N;s:9:"firstName";N;s:8:"lastName";N;s:5:"email";N;s:8:"password";N;s:12:"emailAddress";N;s:6:"photos";N;s:10:"photoSize1";N;s:14:"photoLocation1";N;s:14:"photoPlanting1";N;s:6:"photo3";N;s:6:"photo4";N;s:6:"photo5";N;s:14:"photoLocation2";N;s:14:"photoLocation3";N;s:14:"photoLocation4";N;s:14:"photoLocation5";N;s:10:"photoSize2";N;s:10:"photoSize3";N;s:10:"photoSize4";N;s:10:"photoSize5";N;s:14:"photoPlanting2";N;s:14:"photoPlanting3";N;s:14:"photoPlanting4";N;s:14:"photoPlanting5";N;s:10:"photoGroup";N;s:5:"photo";N;s:4:"size";N;s:8:"location";N;s:14:"typeOfPlanting";N;s:5:"agree";N;s:4:"body";N;s:10:"commonName";N;s:4:"zone";N;s:7:"minTemp";N;s:7:"zoneAlt";N;s:10:"growthRate";N;s:17:"lightRequirements";N;s:8:"heightFt";N;s:7:"heightM";N;s:9:"soilPhMin";N;s:9:"soilPhMax";N;s:8:"priority";N;s:5:"seeds";N;s:8:"seedling";N;s:8:"fourInch";N;s:9:"oneGallon";N;s:11:"threeGallon";N;s:13:"photoSpecies1";N;s:13:"photoSpecies2";N;s:13:"photoSpecies3";N;s:13:"photoSpecies4";N;s:13:"photoSpecies5";N;s:12:"abbreviation";N;s:15:"metaDescription";N;s:13:"metaPageTitle";N;s:11:"socialImage";N;s:19:"descriptionFallback";N;s:17:"globalSocialImage";N;s:13:"titleFallback";N;s:16:"pollAnswerMatrix";N;s:5:"label";N;s:12:"selectedPoll";N;s:5:"image";N;s:10:"recentPoll";N;s:10:"userPhotos";N;s:5:"sizeX";N;s:10:"imageTitle";N;s:21:"inPersonalCollectionX";N;s:9:"locationX";N;s:8:"speciesX";N;s:9:"photoDump";N;s:7:"species";N;s:19:"inPrivateCollection";N;s:15:"typeOfPlantingX";N;s:20:"formerScientificName";N;s:11:"headingList";N;s:4:"text";N;s:7:"heading";N;s:8:"careTips";N;s:8:"mapImage";N;s:13:"speciesPhotos";N;s:4:"user";N;s:20:"inPersonalCollection";N;s:11:"speciesPage";N;s:11:"assignments";N;s:16:"leafTypeDropdown";N;s:23:"countryOfOriginCategory";N;s:10:"linkTarget";N;s:11:"buttonLabel";N;s:12:"externalLink";N;s:12:"internalLink";N;s:9:"inHabitat";N;s:21:"skipPhotoFieldsDetail";N;s:20:"skipPhotoFieldsLabel";N;s:20:"recentSpeciesUpdates";N;s:14:"twitterProfile";N;s:16:"instagramProfile";N;s:15:"linkedinProfile";N;s:15:"facebookProfile";N;s:10:"crownshaft";N;s:14:"threadsProfile";N;s:16:"temperatureRange";N;s:9:"zoneTitle";N;s:15:"newsDescription";N;s:12:"newsImageUrl";N;s:8:"newsLink";N;s:10:"newsSource";N;s:28:"conservationScaleDescription";N;s:28:"conservationScaleStatusColor";N;s:17:"conservationScale";N;s:19:"userFacebookProfile";N;s:20:"userInstagramProfile";N;s:18:"userThreadsProfile";N;s:14:"imagePositionX";N;s:16:"shortDescription";N;s:11:"buttonTitle";N;s:14:"imagePositionY";N;s:6:"newTab";N;s:7:"linkUrl";N;s:10:"hideAuthor";N;s:11:"linkEntries";N;s:14:"authorOverride";N;s:8:"category";N;s:13:"contentBlocks";N;s:12:"callToAction";N;s:12:"calloutTitle";N;s:8:"embedUrl";N;s:6:"images";N;s:15:"singleImageSize";N;s:12:"shopCategory";N;s:14:"shopifyProduct";N;s:13:"speciesSelect";N;s:8:"products";N;s:14:"blueskyProfile";N;s:18:"userBlueskyProfile";N;s:7:"subject";N;s:6:"soilPh";N;s:8:"soilType";N;s:5:"habit";N;s:55:"�craft\behaviors\CustomFieldBehavior�_customFieldValues";a:0:{}}}s:6:"select";a:1:{s:2:"**";s:2:"**";}s:12:"selectOption";N;s:8:"distinct";b:0;s:4:"from";N;s:7:"groupBy";N;s:4:"join";a:1:{i:0;a:3:{i:0;s:10:"INNER JOIN";i:1;a:1:{s:9:"relations";s:14:"{{%relations}}";}i:2;a:4:{i:0;s:3:"and";i:1;s:40:"[[relations.targetId]] = [[elements.id]]";i:2;a:2:{s:18:"relations.sourceId";i:384977;s:17:"relations.fieldId";i:150;}i:3;a:3:{i:0;s:2:"or";i:1;a:1:{s:22:"relations.sourceSiteId";N;}i:2;a:1:{s:22:"relations.sourceSiteId";i:1;}}}}}s:6:"having";N;s:5:"union";N;s:11:"withQueries";N;s:6:"params";a:0:{}s:18:"queryCacheDuration";N;s:20:"queryCacheDependency";N;s:5:"where";N;s:5:"limit";N;s:6:"offset";N;s:7:"orderBy";s:0:"";s:7:"indexBy";N;s:16:"emulateExecution";b:0;s:11:"elementType";s:23:"craft\elements\Category";s:5:"query";N;s:8:"subQuery";N;s:12:"contentTable";s:12:"{{%content}}";s:12:"customFields";N;s:9:"inReverse";b:0;s:7:"asArray";b:0;s:18:"ignorePlaceholders";b:0;s:6:"drafts";b:0;s:17:"provisionalDrafts";b:0;s:7:"draftId";N;s:7:"draftOf";N;s:12:"draftCreator";N;s:15:"savedDraftsOnly";b:0;s:9:"revisions";b:0;s:10:"revisionId";N;s:10:"revisionOf";N;s:15:"revisionCreator";N;s:2:"id";N;s:3:"uid";N;s:14:"siteSettingsId";N;s:10:"fixedOrder";b:0;s:6:"status";a:1:{i:0;s:7:"enabled";}s:8:"archived";b:0;s:7:"trashed";b:0;s:11:"dateCreated";N;s:11:"dateUpdated";N;s:6:"siteId";i:1;s:6:"unique";b:0;s:11:"preferSites";N;s:6:"leaves";b:0;s:9:"relatedTo";N;s:5:"title";N;s:4:"slug";N;s:3:"uri";N;s:6:"search";N;s:3:"ref";N;s:4:"with";N;s:16:"withCustomFields";b:1;s:13:"withStructure";b:1;s:11:"structureId";N;s:5:"level";N;s:14:"hasDescendants";N;s:10:"ancestorOf";N;s:12:"ancestorDist";N;s:12:"descendantOf";N;s:14:"descendantDist";N;s:9:"siblingOf";N;s:13:"prevSiblingOf";N;s:13:"nextSiblingOf";N;s:16:"positionedBefore";N;s:15:"positionedAfter";N;s:17:"�*�defaultOrderBy";a:2:{s:20:"elements.dateCreated";i:3;s:11:"elements.id";i:3;}s:53:"�craft\elements\db\ElementQuery�_placeholderCondition";N;s:51:"�craft\elements\db\ElementQuery�_placeholderSiteIds";N;s:39:"�craft\elements\db\ElementQuery�_result";N;s:47:"�craft\elements\db\ElementQuery�_resultCriteria";N;s:46:"�craft\elements\db\ElementQuery�_searchResults";N;s:42:"�craft\elements\db\ElementQuery�_cacheTags";N;s:42:"�craft\elements\db\ElementQuery�_columnMap";a:0:{}s:51:"�craft\elements\db\ElementQuery�_joinedElementTable";b:0;s:8:"editable";b:0;s:7:"groupId";i:11;} map image

About Bactris major var. major

This is a densely clustering palm that forms tight thickets of slender stems heavily armed with long, black spines. Individual stems typically reach 3–8 m (10–26 ft) tall and only a few centimeters in diameter, with the trunk, leaf sheaths, and petioles densely covered in needle-like spines that serve as protection from herbivores. The crown carries several arching pinnate leaves with numerous narrow leaflets arranged along a flexible rachis, giving the palm a graceful yet formidable appearance. Inflorescences emerge among the leaves and produce small yellowish flowers typical of the genus. The fruits are rounded and ripen to shades of orange, red, or dark purple, and are consumed by wildlife throughout its native range.

Climate Zone 10a
Min Temp (F/C) 30 to 35 F / -1 to 2 C
Leaf Type Pinnate
Height 25 Ft / 7.6 M
Growth Rate Moderate
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Habit Clustering
Soil pH 6.0-6.9 (Near neutral)
Soil Type Loamy

Cultivation Tips

This species grows best in a warm, sheltered garden location with partial shade, similar to the forest edges and lowland tropical habitats where it naturally occurs. Young plants prefer shade while mature clumps tolerate filtered sun but should be protected from intense, drying conditions. The species performs best in rich, well-drained soils with abundant organic matter, though it adapts to a variety of tropical soil types if drainage is good. Regular watering is important, particularly in warm climates, as the palm thrives in consistently moist soil and humid conditions. Apply a balanced palm fertilizer two to three times per year during the growing season to encourage vigorous leaf production and healthy clump expansion.

Share Your Palm Tree Photos
To Contribute To Project Palm!