I Speak For The Trees

Oil palms on a plantation near Santo Domingo de Los Colorados, Pichincha Province.  Oil palms are grown here in vast plantations, specifically for the high oil content of their seeds.  It is a tall, single-stemmed palm reaching heights of about 20 meters, with finely leafed fronds.  The flowers are small, white, and borne in multiple clusters; propagation is by seed only as the tree does not produce shoots.

A single fruit cluster may weigh up to 50 kg; within the spiky outer husk are the small seeds.  All parts of the fruit, from pericarp to kernel, can be pressed for their oil; as one processes towards the heart of the fruit the quality of the oil gained increases.  Pericarp oil is used in cosmetics and soapmaking, while the kernel oil is sold as cooking oil or processed into margarine.  Palm processing plants fill the air with a greasy, buttery smell when they are pressing palm kernels.  The chaff is composted for fertilizer.