page_title: Areca catechu
section_title: Uses
hierarchical_section_title: Areca catechu / Uses
caption_attribution_description: English: Intensive farming of Areca-nut palm (Areca catechu) at a spice plantation in the Ponda sub-district of Goa, India.
context_page_description: Areca catechu is a species of palm which grows in much of the tropical Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa. The palm is believed to have originated in the Philippines, but is widespread in cultivation and is considered naturalized in southern China, Taiwan, India, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Guinea, many of the islands in the Pacific Ocean, and also in the West Indies.
  Common names in English include areca palm, areca nut palm, betel palm, Indian nut, Pinang palm. In English this palm is called the betel tree because its fruit, the areca nut, is often chewed along with the betel leaf, a leaf from a vine of the family Piperaceae. Areca is derived from a local name from the Malabar Coast of India, and catechu is from another Malay name for this palm, caccu.
context_section_description: The areca nut is also popular for chewing throughout some Asian countries, such as China, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, and India and the Pacific Islands, notably Papua New Guinea, where it is very popular. Chewing areca nut is quite popular among working classes in Taiwan. The nut itself can be addictive and has direct link to oral cancers. Areca nuts in Taiwan will usually contain artificial additives such as limestone powder. The extract of Areca catechu may be addictive.
  The areca palm is also used as an interior landscaping species. It is often used in large indoor areas such as malls and hotels. It will not fruit or reach full size if grown in this way. Indoors, it is a slow growing, low water, high light plant that is sensitive to spider mites and occasionally mealybugs.
  In India the dry, fallen leaves are collected and hot-pressed into disposable palm leaf plates and bowls.
caption: Intensive farming of Areca catechu at a spice plantation in Curti, Goa.
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