Jubaea chilensis

RHS Plant Profile
Chilean wine palm

Other common names

Chilean coquito palm, coquito, honey palm, little cokernut palm, palm honey tree

Synonyms

Jubaea spectabilis

Award of Garden Merit
Conservatory Greenhouse Palms Houseplants

A slow-growing palm which can reach 25m, with a single, scarred and cracked grey trunk and leaves up to 5m long formed of many very narrow, rigid, folded, yellow-green to dark green leaflets. Small, bowl-shaped, dull purple and yellow flowers are produced in summer in sprays up to 1.5m long, followed by woody, yellow fruit

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

Higher than 12 metres

Max Spread

wider than 8 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
more than 50 years
Max Spread
wider than 8 metres
Max Height
Higher than 12 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
West–facing or South–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H4

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Arecaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Bushy
Genus
Jubaea are palms native to southwestern South America. They have a single trunk, pinnate leaves, and can grow between 20 and 25m tall.
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
C Chile

How to Grow

Cultivation

In milder areas grow outdoors in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in a sheltered position in full sun. Otherwise grow as a houseplant, or in a cool greenhouse or conservatory, in a peat-free, loam-based compost

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in spring at 25°C. Germination may take three to six months

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Sub-tropical
  • Mediterranean climate plants
  • Architectural
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Patio and container plants
  • Low Maintenance

Pruning

Minimal pruning required; remove dead leaves by cutting close to the leaf base leaving stubs to create a neat pattern

Pests

May be sisceptible to glasshouse red spider mite under glass

Diseases

Generally disease-free