Acai is usually found growing along and near numerous tributaries that feed onto the Amazon River system, and along the mighty river itself. The acai fruit is found on three species of South American palm trees, known in scientific circles as Euterpe edulis, Euterpe oleracea and Euterpe precatoria. The acai palms can also grow outside of the Amazon and are found in surrounding areas of South America, from Atlantic coastal forests to the banks of the Amazon River and mountainous regions thousand of miles inland.

The most prominent spot to find the coveted acai palm is near the city of Belem, where several rivers meet in northeastern Brazil and the tropical forests and floodplains are filled with acai palms. Palms vary in size from six feet to over 100 feet in size. Harvesting usually takes place in the drier months, July and December, when the fruit is ripe.

Although documented history surrounding the fruit is limited, the acai fruit appears in manuscripts from early Portuguese explorers of the eighteenth century. Obviously, generations of natives of the region have long harvested the fruit and plant; they have used all parts of the palm for hundreds of years, as a food source or a natural health remedy.

Fifty years ago, very few people outside the Amazon knew about the acai palm and fruit. Travel in and out of the area was difficult, and transporting produce overseas had its own set of problems. Although once restricted to South America, this little fruit is now widely available in North America, Europe and Asia—thanks to advancements in freeze-drying technologies and an increased demand for acai fruit outside of Brazil.