Jubaea

jubaea

( joo - BEE - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus, Commonly called Chilean Wine Palm, Chile Cocopalm, or Palma Chilena, includes just one species. It is a slow growing tree that develops a very girthy trunk and can potentially reach 80 feet tall and 25 feet wide, though is often seen smaller in garden cultivation. Trunks are often swollen just above the base and contain sap that can be harvested and made into syrup or wine. These palms are hardy down to about 10 degrees Fahrenheit, and their flowers are insignificant. Chilean Wine Palm grows best in USDA hardiness zones 7a-10b or Sunset growing zones 12-24 (to find your zone, click here: Zone Map), and need full sun and little to no water to perform well.

Caring for jubaea

These palms prefer full sun when grown outdoors, though they can take some filtered shade, especially if they are grown in a particularly warm climate. Foliage on these palms is susceptible to sunburn if they are exposed to too much direct sun during the warmest hours of the day. These trees do well in soil that is well-draining but retains some moisture. Loamy or sandy soils are ideal. If local soils are heavy or clayey (or both), make sure to amend the planting site with plenty of sand and organic material to increase drainage and improve soil structure. Apply a thick layer of mulch around plantings to increase soil moisture retention, suppress weed growth, and regulate soil temperatures. After planting, make sure young trees receive regular waterings to help them establish a strong, healthy root system. Mature trees should be deep watered to encourage a root system that stretches farther down into the soil, but are generally considered to be drought-tolerant landscape trees. Avoid overwatering these plants, as they do not like to have wet feet, and will develop root rot issues.

These palms benefit from applications of organic compost in springtime each year. This is usually enough to supply nutrients for the year's growth and flowering, but if trees seem to be struggling or they are being grown in particularly poor soil, they may benefit from a feeding with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer (such as a 10-10-10). Avoid over-fertilizing these palms, as this can cause a buildup of salts in the soil, which will damage the root system. These trees don't require much pruning except to remove spent fronds as they turn brown. Avoid cutting healthy fronds, as this can harm the plant and reduce its overall health.

Harvesting Jubaea Trees
These palms produce many useful products, including sap, leaves, and edible seeds. Leaves are commonly used in the plant's native range in basket-weaving, and the edible seeds are widely eaten and known as Coquito nuts. Nuts are about the size of a marble, and have a thin, woody skin and white flesh. They are nutty in flavor with a crunchy texture, and can be eaten raw or cooked. They pair well with other tropical flavors, and are typically added to cookies, cakes and other desserts, ice cream, and jellies. They can also be roasted and ground into flour. Nuts are produced by mature trees (once they reach about 40-60 years old) starting around July (January in the trees' native range). Harvest as soon as they are ripe; they will begin to fall from the tree and have attained an orangey-yellow color. Collect fruits and then cut them open and remove the outer layer. Rinse them thoroughly under clean water to remove any remaining flesh. Next, spread the nuts out in a single layer on a clean surface and allow them to air dry completely. Nuts can be roasted by placing them in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for between 10 and 15 minutes, until they are lightly browned and slightly cracked. Jubaea sap is harvested in the tree's natural range to create palm wine or palm syrup. To harvest this sap, unfortunately the entire tree needs to be felled (cut down) and the practice is now restricted by legal protections due to the overharvesting of native populations.

Disclaimer: Information contained on this website is strictly and categorically intended as a reference to be used in conjunction with experts in your area. Foraging and consumption of plant parts should never begin without the guidance and approval of a local plant specialist. The providers of this website accept no liability for the use or misuse of information contained in this website.

Propagation

Jubaea, or Wine Palm, is best propagated through seeds. To propagate your palm tree, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Jubaea by Seed

You will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. The seeds produced by Jubaea plants are contained inside of the fruits produced by trees once they reach maturity and there are male and female trees in close proximity to one another. Fruits are typically yellow to orangey in color, and are mature in late summer to early fall. Fruits contain nuts that are referred to as Coquito Nuts, and these can be planted.
Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot. Cover them with soil and water. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes a few months from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Jubaea fruits contain the seeds that will produce the next generation of trees. They will only produce fruits when a male and female tree are planted close to each other.