{"product_id":"ivory-snake-fruit-salacca-zalacca-live-plant","title":"Ivory Snake Fruit (Salacca zalacca) - LIVE PLANT","description":"\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant Insights and Care\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIvory Snake Fruit is a pale-skinned form of salak (\u003cem\u003eSalacca zalacca\u003c\/em\u003e), a tropical palm that forms a low, dense clump of spiny leaves. Its fruit develops close to the base of the plant. This is a live plant listing; fruit photographs illustrate the fruit, not the size of the plant supplied.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant Sizes:\u003c\/strong\u003e Small (Under 20cm), Medium (20–60cm), and Large (Over 60cm). The current small plants are approximately 15cm tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSun Exposure:\u003c\/strong\u003e Young salak palms need shade. Start these small plants in bright, filtered light, sheltered from direct afternoon sun. Keep established palms in partial shade rather than moving them abruptly into an exposed position.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWatering:\u003c\/strong\u003e Keep the root zone evenly moist without leaving it flooded. Salak has shallow roots and does not cope well with prolonged drying. Check small pots frequently in hot or windy weather, and adjust watering to the potting mix and drainage rather than following a fixed schedule.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Use a fertile, moisture-retentive mix with good drainage and well-decomposed organic matter. A soil pH of 5.0–7.0 is suitable. Mulch the root zone while keeping the base clear, and avoid compacted soil or standing water.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTemperature and Humidity:\u003c\/strong\u003e This is a humid-tropical palm, best grown with warmth, shelter and reliable moisture. In UAE summer conditions of 40–45°C, use a protected, shaded position and shield the roots from overheating and hot, drying winds. Reliable fruiting of this ivory form in that heat has not been established; heat survival should not be taken as a promise of a crop.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFertilization:\u003c\/strong\u003e Once the plant is established and producing new growth, use small applications of a balanced fertilizer with micronutrients, following the label for container size. Avoid heavy nitrogen-only feeding and concentrated fertilizer against the young roots. Do not feed a dry or visibly stressed plant.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePruning:\u003c\/strong\u003e Remove dead or badly damaged fronds and, as the clump matures, thin unwanted suckers to keep access and airflow. Retain healthy foliage on small plants and do not cut the growing point. The leaf stalks carry sharp spines, so allow space away from paths and handle with gloves.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Rate and Size:\u003c\/strong\u003e Growth is generally moderate in suitable conditions. This is a clustering palm rather than a tall, single-trunked tree; mature fronds can reach several metres long. Allow room for an expanding clump. A 15cm plant needs time to establish and mature, and no fixed fruiting date is promised.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePollination:\u003c\/strong\u003e Most salak plants are either male or female. Plan for compatible male and female plants with overlapping flowering, and be prepared to hand-pollinate if natural pollination is inadequate. Some salak forms differ, but self-fertility has not been confirmed for this stock. A single unsexed young plant should not be expected to fruit alone.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey Points\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProtect small plants with shade, shelter and consistent root-zone moisture.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProvide drainage as well as water: moist soil is useful, prolonged flooding is not.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAllow space for spiny mature fronds and an expanding clump.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFlowering sex and compatible pollen matter if fruit production is the goal.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFruit Profile\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fruit has overlapping, snakeskin-like scales with an ivory-yellow to pale golden colour. Inside are firm, cream-coloured segments surrounding hard seeds. The texture is crisp, with a balance of sweetness and acidity; ivory or Gading-type salak can also be noticeably tart or astringent, so it should not be assumed to taste uniformly sweet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAllow fruit to mature on the palm. Pale skin is a characteristic of the ivory form, so waiting for the dark brown colour of common salak is not a reliable ripeness test. Peel away the scaly skin, separate the segments and remove the hard seeds before eating.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"rarefruittrees.ae","offers":[{"title":"Small (Under 20cm)","offer_id":68280229724464,"sku":"P-S-IVORYSNAKE","price":65.0,"currency_code":"AED","in_stock":true},{"title":"Medium (20–60cm)","offer_id":68280229757232,"sku":"P-M-IVORYSNAKE","price":130.0,"currency_code":"AED","in_stock":false},{"title":"Large (Over 60cm)","offer_id":68280229790000,"sku":"P-L-IVORYSNAKE","price":220.0,"currency_code":"AED","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0829\/0772\/6128\/files\/ivory-snake-fruit-young-plant-1500.jpg?v=1794069709","url":"https:\/\/www.rarefruittrees.ae\/products\/ivory-snake-fruit-salacca-zalacca-live-plant","provider":"RareFruitTrees.ae","version":"1.0","type":"link"}