Jubaea chilensis – Chilean wine palm / Honey palm

Jubaea chilensis, or Chilean coconut palm or Chilean palm, is a majestic and rare tree, renowned for its robustness, longevity, and impressive trunk. It is one of the hardiest palm trees in the world, capable of withstanding heavy frosts—a true colossus with a tender heart.

🌴 Jubaea chilensis – Chilean wine palm / Honey palm

🔎Identification

• Scientific name: Jubaea chilensis (Molina) Baill.
• Family: Arecaceae
• Common name: Chilean wine palm, Chilean palm, honey palm
• Origin: Endemic to central Chile, in dry, mountainous areas

🌳Botanical description

• Type: Single-trunk palm tree
• Adult size: 15 to 25 m tall (sometimes up to 30 m in its natural habitat)
• Trunk:
  • Massive, light gray, up to 1.5 to 2 m in diameter
  • Very distinctive appearance, slightly “swollen” at the base
• Leaves:
  • Pinnate (stiff feathers) 3 to 5 m long
  • Glaucous green to silvery green
  • Arranged in a wide crown at the top of the stipe

🌼Flowering & fruit

• Flowering: in spring–summer, but only on mature trees (often after 40–50 years 😅)
• Flowers: small, creamy yellow, grouped in large hanging inflorescences
• Fruits:
  • Small spherical nuts (2–3 cm in diameter), called coquitos
  • Contain an edible kernel, with a taste similar to coconut 🥥
  • In its country of origin, a sweet sap (“palm honey”) is also extracted from it

🌡️Hardiness

• USDA zone: 8 to 10
• Withstands temperatures of around –12 to –15°C, and even –17°C for established specimens 🌨️
• It is one of the most cold-resistant palm trees, along with Trachycarpus fortunei
• Also tolerates summer drought once established

🌞Exposure and soil

• Exposure: full sun (essential)
• Soil:
  • Well-drained, sandy or gravelly
  • Tolerates calcareous soils
  • Prefers deep soil to anchor its taproot
• Watering: regular in the first few years, then very little once established

⏳Growth

• Very slow, especially at first (the trunk only forms after several years)
• Exceptional longevity: several centuries in good conditions

✂️Care

• Very easy once established
• No pruning necessary, except to remove dry palms
• Does not tolerate repotting or moving after planting
• Allow plenty of space: it is a giant in the long term

✅Advantages

• 🌴 Spectacular and extremely hardy palm tree
• 🍬 Edible fruit (coquitos) and sweet sap
• 🌞 Resistant to drought and wind
• 💪 Unparalleled longevity and resistance
• 🪴 Can be grown in a pot for the first few years (with light winter protection)

❌Things to watch out for

• 🌱 Slow growth → patience required
• 💧 Does not like excess stagnant moisture
• 🥶 Young plants are more sensitive to frost than mature specimens
• 🌳 Becomes enormous when mature → do not plant too close to a house