The acai (pronounced a-sigh-e) palm tree and its berries are indigenous to Central and South America. The palm tree is thin and approximately 25 meters high with groups of branches and ribbon like leaves. The berries hang from the branches in large clusters. Each tree produces about 20 kg of fruit per year and is one of the leading crops in Brazil. It was first used by tribes in the Amazon for various medicinal purposes, among them the ability to build and strengthen the immune system, fig ...(more)