Areca catechu, known commonly as Betel palm or Betel nut tree or Pinang is a species of palm which grows in much of the tropical Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa. It is a medium-sized tree growing to 20 m tall, with a trunk 20-30 cm in diameter. The leaves are 1.5-2 m long, pinnate, with numerous, crowded leaflets.Areca catechuAreca catechu is grown for its economically important seed crop, the Betel nut. The seed contains alkaloids such as arecaine and arecoline, which when chewed is intoxicating and is also slightly addictive. Areca palms are grown in India, Malaysia, Taiwan and many other Asian countries for their seeds.Penang Island, off the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, is named after pinang, a local name for betel nut.

An easily grown palm for both the tropics and warm sub-tropical areas (it is apparently cold sensitive). It prefers shade when young, although it does take full sun at quite a young age. It likes a moist, well drained soil, and doesn't like to dry out. This palm is the basis of a large industry in SE Asia, where the seed is chewed for its intoxicating properties, as well as its supposedly beneficial side effects, such as aiding digestion, and controlling internal parasites and dysentery.

Uses - Seeds of this palm, incorrectly known as betel nuts, are widely employed, notably in South-East Asia, as a masticatory, due to its stimulating, digestive and cardiotonic properties, exerted by tannin and alkaloid substances present in them