Anyone tries growing a Jubea chilensis in the South

[Jtee]

All of the postings I see on here come from the West Coast regarding Jubeas. I know nothing about these palms. I’m guessing the West Coast is probably the best climate for a Jubea but has anyone tried growing one in the South? 
 

would it do well in a hot and humid environment? Does it need certain requirements to be happy? Is it a solid 8b palm?

[Pee Dee Palms]

20 minutes ago, Jtee said:

All of the postings I see on here come from the West Coast regarding Jubeas. I know nothing about these palms. I’m guessing the West Coast is probably the best climate for a Jubea but has anyone tried growing one in the South? 
 

would it do well in a hot and humid environment? Does it need certain requirements to be happy? Is it a solid 8b palm?

Definitely an 8b palm, possibly 8a. Only issue is that it absolutely despises humid weather. That's why you don't see any or hear of any growing in the south. 

[BeyondTheGarden]

I had a Jubaea seedling and a Jub x Butia in my growbox where temps and humidity stay 80-85f/%.  They grew, but I was losing older fronds quicker than new fronds were coming out.  Same for the Lytocaryum insigne which I almost killed.  They're all much happier now that they're at ambient/room humidity which is around 60%.  

[kinzyjr]

There are a few people having some level of success with these.  @Scott W has one in Jacksonville and there was a small one with pinnate fronds at our last CFPACS Meeting:

https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/72080-central-florida-palm-cycad-society-spring-meeting-sat-03262022/&do=findComment&comment=1048590

[Austinpalm]

I had a Jubaea (20 gallon size at planting and death) in Austin for a few years before the polar vortex put the kabosh on it.  It never grew fast, but it did slowly grow.  Of course, Austin is just on the western edge of the south and is probably much less humid than south Alabama.  If you are going to try it.  Get a big one.  I never had any success until I was gifted the last one.  Never had a seedling survive the summer.

[Jtee]

2 hours ago, Austinpalm said:

I had a Jubaea (20 gallon size at planting and death) in Austin for a few years before the polar vortex put the kabosh on it.  It never grew fast, but it did slowly grow.  Of course, Austin is just on the western edge of the south and is probably much less humid than south Alabama.  If you are going to try it.  Get a big one.  I never had any success until I was gifted the last one.  Never had a seedling survive the summer.

They sound too iffy to me, I was considering a seedling but from what I read I highly doubt it’ll survive the summer here. They are beautiful palms but I would probably worry about it all the time. 

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

35 minutes ago, Jtee said:

They sound too iffy to me, I was considering a seedling but from what I read I highly doubt it’ll survive the summer here. They are beautiful palms but I would probably worry about it all the time. 

I have a jubaea in a pot for about 3 years now , albeit slow has shown zero problems with humidity in full sun. @TonyDFW i believe has a large one growing for awhile now 

T J 

[Joe NC]

I had a (BxJ)xJ in SE NC.

It had 0 problems with heat and humidity when potted up during the few years I grew it up from strap leaf size to pinnate.  Died nearly instantly when put in ground.  It was crazy how fast it went from perfect to toast.

 

 

[RJ]

Is there a guy in Alabama with a big Judaea ? I think I saw it on another forum that I used to visit…. 

[ShiYi2022]

On 2022/5/1 at PM10点01分, Jesse PNW said:

我的种植箱里有一个 Jubaea 幼苗和一个 Jub x Butia，温度和湿度保持在 80-85f/%。它们长大了，但我失去老叶的速度比新叶长出来的快。我差点杀死的 Lytocaryum insigne 也是如此。现在他们都更快乐了，因为他们处于大约 60% 的环境/室内湿度。  

Butia应该很容易种植吧，我有一棵3岁的苗，通常我都不会去在意它，它生长的不错

[BeyondTheGarden]

@ShiYi2022 Butias seem to be quite care-free.  I think the general consensus is that Jubaea Butia hybrid seedlings are sensitive, but when they get bigger, the Butia DNA helps.  I believe they do better in places that have higher humidity. 

[Collectorpalms]

I would start with a 5 gallon or larger. It is possible to grow them, but they may eventually succumb to disease or crown rot from tropical weather. Best option is a Jubaea x Butia.  Butia x Jubaea look too much like Butia, it is hard to tell the difference. And no they are not a solid 8b palm ( I would never say anything is a solid zone palm in the southern USA , unless it is growing native like Sabal Minor or Needle). The one in Dallas that was mentioned was protected, and large ones died in Feb 2021 and 2010/2011 in San Angelo. My Jubaea X Butia unprotected died in Feb 2021, but had I wrapped the trunk it might have pulled through until it was larger.

[RJ]

This one is an old photo (12y) of one that supposedly in Anniston, Al, this isn’t the one I was thinking about . 
 

 

[kinzyjr]

There was supposed to be one in South Carolina.  The SEPS publication, Rhapidophyllum, details a few attempted by members of the Southeastern Palm Society:

https://kipdf.com/spring-journal-of-the-southeastern-palm-and-exotic-plant-society-volume-8-number_5b11654c7f8b9a06398b458f.html

[Jtee]

Maybe the hard part is getting the seedling to survive outdoors idk. 

[Collectorpalms]

1 hour ago, Jtee said:

Maybe the hard part is getting the seedling to survive outdoors idk. 

Jubaea, Washingtonia Filifera, Brahea Armata, (a few others) you have to treat the same way from seedling size if your growing them in the south that has high humidity and high night temperatures all summer long with evening rains. They need to be grown in a sheltered area that does not get overhead water from rain, and keeps the dew off the leaves. Only water them from below and early in the day. Don't let the soil get too soggy nor let it dry completely out. Use Palmgain fertilizer and supplement with sul-po-mag. Preventative soil fungicide drenches would be a good idea as well. Once they are fully rooted 5 gallon size, you can then plant them out.

Edited May 4, 2022 by Collectorpalms

[RJ]

6 hours ago, kinzyjr said:

There was supposed to be one in South Carolina.  The SEPS publication, Rhapidophyllum, details a few attempted by members of the Southeastern Palm Society:

https://kipdf.com/spring-journal-of-the-southeastern-palm-and-exotic-plant-society-volume-8-number_5b11654c7f8b9a06398b458f.html

I think the one in Rock hill SC is dead. That was what brought up the discussion on this other forum a couple years ago. There was a picture of it in the guys yard. 
 

https://members3.boardhost.com/HardyPalm/index.html?1651581097

[RJ]

Found it!

“I have a Jubaea that I planted as a 3-gallon in 2007 that has grown to 8-10' tall over the years. I've never really seen any sign of problems with it and the climate here in North Lousiana, and this has been the wettest year ever. It's been through 24" rain events in March and 16" tropical storms. But in general our summers often are droughtier than most would suspect. Here is an updated picture with a basketball for scale:”

 

https://members3.boardhost.com/HardyPalm/msg/1563549544.html

 

 

2018

 

 

Edited May 5, 2022 by RJ

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

@RJ nice detective work , that Jubaea looks bigger then @TonyDFW

[RJ]

8 minutes ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

@RJ nice detective work , that Jubaea looks bigger then @TonyDFW

Yeah, not any more recent pictures unfortunately. I thought he was in Alabama, but he’s in Louisiana. Still gives me hope for trying one.  I Just need to get my hands on a decent sized one 

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

I have one I got from @Phil about 3yrs ago that i just bumped up to a 15g decorative pot. Hoping in a couple more years it will be ready to go. I love Jubaeas for how stout they are for a pinnate palm. Really hoping to grow one up here in S.Houston. 

T J 

[RJ]

2 hours ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

I have one I got from @Phil about 3yrs ago that i just bumped up to a 15g decorative pot. Hoping in a couple more years it will be ready to go. I love Jubaeas for how stout they are for a pinnate palm. Really hoping to grow one up here in S.Houston. 

T J 

Tony’s in Dallas , @buffy is right outside I think if they both can grow juabea.  I would think our climates aren’t that much different, although maybe just enough…. 
 

I really need to get a nice sized Jxb from Patric as well. Feeling poor lately with the house build 
 

 

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

1 hour ago, RJ said:

I really need to get a nice sized Jxb from Patric as well. Feeling poor lately with the house build 
 

Man I totally understand that, I got a larger JxB from Patric which also will be potted up and saved for later. I got 2 even larger BxJs in the pull pen too 

T J 

[Scott W]

Here's mine growing happily in Jacksonville FL.  Noted some leaf skeletonizer on it late last year so trimmed most of it off and treating it.  I grew this in a pot from seed, 14 years potted, 4 in ground.  Huge gains since putting it in the ground.

 

[RJ]

1 hour ago, Scott W said:

Here's mine growing happily in Jacksonville FL.  Noted some leaf skeletonizer on it late last year so trimmed most of it off and treating it.  I grew this in a pot from seed, 14 years potted, 4 in ground.  Huge gains since putting it in the ground.

 

 

 

You’re winters are still pretty wet like ours up in Georgia/SC aren’t they? 

[BeyondTheGarden]

@Scott W I thought I'd seen all your palms in that area before but what is the palm with the thin and wooly trunk, located right behind the Jubaea in the last picture (offset a bit to the right)?  Looks kinda like a Butiagrus?

[Scott W]

On 5/6/2022 at 6:12 PM, Jesse PNW said:

@Scott W I thought I'd seen all your palms in that area before but what is the palm with the thin and wooly trunk, located right behind the Jubaea in the last picture (offset a bit to the right)?  Looks kinda like a Butiagrus?

Straight back there's a Butiagrus and a super mule, directly to the right is Syagrus campylospatha, Butia Archeri and then I have a row of  Syagrus (Lytocaryum) weddellianum and hoehnei (5 of each in the ground)

[Scott W]

On 5/6/2022 at 3:34 PM, RJ said:

You’re winters are still pretty wet like ours up in Georgia/SC aren’t they? 

I wouldn't say wet for sure.  Even it was, the position of where it is planted leads to excellent drainage.  I'm "uphill" from Pottsburg Creek, and the elevation change from the palm to the creek is easily 10 feet or more.  Also the sand is not loamy like most Florida sand once you're past the first couple inches and I had a septic company offer to dig up my whole back yard because the sand was literally worth it's weight in gold for it's drainage properties.  May be part of why this palm is doing so well ....

[UK_Palms]

I don't think humidity is the issue because there are a number of massive Jubaea's growing over here including two 75+ footers than were planted relatively small in the 1960's. They seem to do pretty well over here and we are relatively humid, at least during autumn/fall and winter. But we are also pretty dry here too with a low water table.

Jubaea are native to semi-arid/desert regions pretty much and they don't like soggy roots, especially in winter. If you get over 30 inches of rainfall and also have a wet-humid summer too you can probably forget about growing one. Apart from Trachycarpus Fortunei, Jubaea is easily the 2nd hardiest palm in my neck of the woods. I leave mine outdoors in a pot all year-round. 

I honestly thought there would be way more big/decent Jubaea specimens in Texas, especially in the warmer, drier western regions. What is the biggest Jubaea specimen outside of California and the southwest? Are there any big ones lurking in Oregon or the Carolina's?