The Palmyra Palm: Friend of People and Environment

Tanzila Rahman , UAO, Ramu, Coxs Bazar

Tanzila Rahman and Prof. M Zahidul Haque

The Palmyra Palm (Borassus flabellifer) is one of the most common and significant trees in Bangladesh. Widely grown across rural areas, particularly in homesteads, farmlands, and roadsides, it has been an integral part of the country’s culture, environment, and livelihood for centuries. In Bengali, this tree is called “Taal Gachh”while it has a number of popular English names including Palmyra Palm, Toddy Palm, or Ice Apple Tree, etc.

The Palmyra Palm is more than just a tree—it is a friend of the people, a protector of nature, and a source of food and livelihood. Its ability to provide sweet fruits, jaggery, and shade, along with its environmental and safety benefits, makes it one of the most important trees to grow in Bangladesh.

Prof. M Zahidul Haque

Planting and conserving more Palmyra Palms, especially during the tree plantation rainy season is essential for ensuring food diversity, climate resilience, and rural well-being.

During the rainy season, tree plantation programs are carried out across Bangladesh. The Palmyra Palm is one of the most recommended species for plantation at this time. It grows well when planted in moist soil and requires very little maintenance once established. Since it grows tall and survives for generations, it serves the community for decades, ensuring both food and environmental security.

Importance and Characteristics

The Tal Tree is a robust palm belonging to the Arecaceae family. It can live more than 100 years and grow up to 30 meters high. With its solitary, upright trunk and leafy crown, it often appears like a sentinel watching over villages and fields—a symbol of strength and simplicity in Bengali poetry and folklore.

Male and female trees grow separately, producing flowers and fruits after nearly 15–20 years of maturity.

The fruit is round, large (13–20 cm in diameter), and greenish-brown when young, turning yellow upon ripening. Inside, it contains three soft, jelly-like seeds which are eaten fresh in summer as a cooling delicacy.

Uses as Food

The Tal Tree is a major contributor to the rural food system. Its sweet juice, called taler rosh, collected at dawn, is a refreshing and cooling drink. When boiled, it produces jaggery (gur) and sugar, both widely used in sweets and household cooking. The ripe pulp of tal fruit is used to prepare cakes, pitha, and other traditional delicacies. The jelly seeds are enjoyed as a seasonal fruit in  hot weather.

Household and Craft Uses

The Tal Tree provides much more than food. Its large leaves are used to make mats, baskets, fans, and hats. The strong, black timber of the tree is durable and highly valued for house construction and furniture.

Environmental and Protective Role

Beyond its economic uses, the Tal Tree is an environmental safeguard. Its roots prevent soil erosion, improve water retention, and stabilize sandy and riverine soils. It thrives in drought-prone and saline areas, making it an excellent species for climate adaptation.

Uniquely, tall Tal Trees also act as natural protectors against lightning strikes, reducing casualties during thunderstorms in rural villages. This rare quality has earned the tree a special place as a “protector of life.”

Declining Population and Threats

Unfortunately, despite its immense benefits, the population of Tal Trees in Bangladesh is declining. Although no official census exists, observations suggest a steady decrease due to: 

• Cutting of mature trees for land development and road expansion

• Harvesting and selling of immature seeds for quick profit

• Slow growth rate (taking decades to mature) discouraging new plantations

• Urbanization and conversion of agricultural land

• Lack of focused institutional programs to promote Tal planting

In some areas, thousands of palms have been lost within years, highlighting the urgency of conservation.

Conclusion

The Tal Tree is more than just a palm—it is a source of food, shade, building material, and protection for rural communities. Its role in climate resilience, soil conservation, and thunder protection makes it an invaluable part of Bangladesh’s ecological heritage. Protecting and planting more Tal Trees, especially during the rainy season, will ensure that this friend of the countryside continues to serve future generations.

As Rabindranath Tagore beautifully imagined in his poem Tal Gachh: “The palm tree stands on one leg, rising above all, peeping into the sky, as if wishing for wings to fly.”

This poetic image captures not only the majestic height of the tree but also its timeless spirit of resilience and hope for the land and its people. Let us plant and conserve Taal Gachh for our greater wellbeing!

(Tanzila Rahman is Upazila Agriculture Officer (UAO), Ramu, Cox’s Bazar and Prof. M Zahidul Haque an Adjunct Faculty of Agricultural Journalism Program at Sher-e-Bangla Agriculturla University, Dhaka)