Can You Grow Acai Berries at Home?

Sunlight Requirements

• While most bramble-type berries, such as blackberries and raspberries, perform best in locations that receive direct sunlight, acai palms produce the healthiest, most flavorful berries when grown in sites that receive only filtered sunlight. When planting or positioning your acai palm, look for a growing spot that is exposed to six or more hours of filtered sunlight per day. Choose a location that also offers rich, fertile and well-draining soil; select a moisture-retentive and well-draining potting soil mix for container-grown acai palms.

Temperature Requirements

• Native to Belize, Brazil and Peru, acai palms require consistently warm temperatures for successful cultivation and berry production. Acai palms can tolerate temperatures as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit without sustaining damage, but prefer temperatures between 60 and 95 degrees. If you live in a climate that is unsuitable for outdoor acai palm cultivation, consider planting the tree in a large and well-draining growing container, preferably one with wheels. When temperatures drop below 60 degrees, simply wheel your acai palm indoors.

Irrigation Requirements

• Acai palms are moisture-loving trees that need consistently moist soil and high humidity to grow successfully. Check the moisture of the soil every two days by touching the surface; water the palm as often as necessary to maintain soil that is moist to the touch. Provide your acai palm with approximately 1 inch of supplemental irrigation each time you water, but avoid allowing the soil to become flooded or waterlogged. In dry climates, mist your acai palm daily, in the early morning, to provide it with some much-needed humidity.

Fertilization Requirements

• Acai palms are heavy feeders that require regular fertilization to produce their characteristic berries. For best results, feed your acai palm monthly with a half-strength solution of a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer. Acai palms respond especially well to fertilizers with nutrient formulations such as 6-6-6, 10-10-10 and 12-12-12. To avoid damage caused by improper fertilization, mix and apply the fertilizer product according to the directions on the packaging.