Simply Juania Australis

[Hu Palmeras]

Simply Juania Australis

[gyuseppe]

as I would like to grow, but impossible in my Mediterranean climate, this species needs a series of elements that combine with each other to grow

[Hu Palmeras]

If this palm tree is a missing link, few display it as a trophy.

[Fusca]

59 minutes ago, Hu Palmeras said:

Simply Juania Australis

Nice work Hugo!  😊  I hope you can keep them growing well and plant all of them locally.  Hard to find suitable locations outside of habitat where they will thrive.  I've always thought it interesting that the species name is australis - sounds like it's native to Australia instead of Chile.

[Hu Palmeras]

This palm tree is a trophy. It's highly sought after by collectors, especially in Europe. This palm tree is native to Chile, from Robinson Crusoe Island (Juán Fernández Archipelago).

[Jonathan]

1 hour ago, Fusca said:

Nice work Hugo!  😊  I hope you can keep them growing well and plant all of them locally.  Hard to find suitable locations outside of habitat where they will thrive.  I've always thought it interesting that the species name is australis - sounds like it's native to Australia instead of Chile.

Australis is Latin for south or southern: Terra Australis = Southern land, which ultimately became Australia. 

[Hu Palmeras]

Very cool my friend

[Tyrone]

4 hours ago, Hu Palmeras said:

This palm tree is a trophy. It's highly sought after by collectors, especially in Europe. This palm tree is native to Chile, from Robinson Crusoe Island (Juán Fernández Archipelago).

Will it grow in your area? Heat is its enemy. 

[Hu Palmeras]

If it must grow, it must be grown in a pot at home. Give it care like a baby.

[Fusca]

3 hours ago, Jonathan said:

Australis is Latin for south or southern: Terra Australis = Southern land, which ultimately became Australia. 

Thanks for the Latin lesson Jonathan! 😁 I always thought that Livistona australis was native to Australia - oh wait, it is!  By that logic I assume that it's from southern Australia and that's the reason for the species name.

[Jonathan]

7 hours ago, Fusca said:

Thanks for the Latin lesson Jonathan! 😁 I always thought that Livistona australis was native to Australia - oh wait, it is!  By that logic I assume that it's from southern Australia and that's the reason for the species name.

And you'd be correct, it's the most southern Livistona species, in fact the most southern palm species in Australia. Good logic!

[Mazat]

15 hours ago, Hu Palmeras said:

Simply Juania Australis

Wonderful work, Hugo.
I just showed it to Sabine, but at the same time I had to tell her that it's rather difficult to grow here. She just smiled and said, “What have we been doing all this time...?”Well, I didn't have an answer to that...

[Mazat]

14 hours ago, gyuseppe said:

as I would like to grow, but impossible in my Mediterranean climate, this species needs a series of elements that combine with each other to grow

Yes, Gyuseppe. The many elements it requires also make me think, or rather, that is the challenge.

[gyuseppe]

52 minutes ago, Mazat said:

Yes, Gyuseppe. The many elements it requires also make me think, or rather, that is the challenge.

every attempt to grow it in Southern Europe has always failed.

[PalmsandLiszt]

18 hours ago, Hu Palmeras said:

Simply Juania Australis

Splendid to see so many seedlings! Where did you get the seeds from?

[Hu Palmeras]

This palm tree is very private. Its sale and commercialization are prohibited in Chile. I don't know why they made such a drastic decision. We'll have to wait for the Juania australis palm trees in Europe to bear fruit. I got them from the park ranger on Robinson Crusoe Island.

[Hu Palmeras]

23 minutes ago, PalmsandLiszt said:

¡Qué bueno ver tantas plántulas! ¿De dónde sacaste las semillas?

I got them from the park ranger on Robinson Crusoe Island.

[Slifer00]

19 hours ago, Hu Palmeras said:

Simply Juania Australis

I saw Juania, and instantly clicked. What temperature and humidity do you keep them at? 

I would easily pay 50 euro for one of them....

[Hu Palmeras]

Why are you paying so much, my friend? They're just palm trees. I can't send live plants from Chile; it's strictly prohibited by the authorities. Seeds, yes, but it's very difficult. I'm hoping to convince some people on the island to release some seeds for me. At 20-25 degrees Celsius, no more. But it can withstand lower temperatures afterward.

[Slifer00]

There are no other sources for juania currently on the internet, I have been searching for them for months. Juania is probably the most exotic looking palm tree of the 10 or so species that can survive in the Irish climate. I would cut down the night time temperatures a bit, Juania love their cool nights. If you know where I could potentially source them, please, do let me know  Good luck 

[Hu Palmeras]

An Irish gentleman contacted me. He wanted a Creole male palm tree for his Juania palm. I explained that I would arrange for a palm tree with the Chilean authorities. He liked my advice. In a few years, there will be seeds in Ireland or England, and probably in the United States.

[PalmsandLiszt]

56 minutes ago, Hu Palmeras said:

Seeds, yes, but it's very difficult. I'm hoping to convince some people on the island to release some seeds for me.

If you ever manage to get any seeds to distribute, I'd love to buy a few. I know they have been grown successfully in southern England in the right spot. It's a pity they're dioecious, which makes producing seeds so much more difficult. If they were not, I'm sure seeds would be a lot easier to come by and the species would be in a less precarious position.

[Hu Palmeras]

Very interesting what you say, my friend. It's been difficult for me to get them. I feel like a foreigner in my country trying to get these seeds.

[UK_Palms]

On 10/5/2025 at 3:40 PM, PalmsandLiszt said:

If you ever manage to get any seeds to distribute, I'd love to buy a few. I know they have been grown successfully in southern England in the right spot. It's a pity they're dioecious, which makes producing seeds so much more difficult. If they were not, I'm sure seeds would be a lot easier to come by and the species would be in a less precarious position.

Juania Australis is much tougher than people make out. Dr Kevin Spence has a specimen in his garden in Leicestershire in central England and it has survived 40C / 104F back in July 2022. There was probably a night that did not drop below about 27C / 80F as well. So the occasional 40C temperatures with 27C nighttime minimums are not really an issue, at least not here in the UK.

 

As for winter temperatures, he wraps his up a bit as it is still fairly smallish, but it never gets damaged. I believe the biggish specimen in Portchester just inland from Portsmouth has taken a number of -5C and -6C nights back in January 2021 and December 2022 with no issues. So temperatures between 40C and -5C are not really an issue for this species, based on observations here in the UK.

I suspect summer droughts and exceptionally strong sunshine may be the main issues. If the roots dry out too much and the palm does not get adequate irrigation, it will likely be prone to issues. This will be exacerbated in proper dry summer climates or semi-arid climates. These areas get far stronger sunshine too, which may be an issue in the Med region with very little cloud cover compared to the native range and when combined with the dryness, this may be the main driver for specimens dying.

A number of them died in San Francisco I believe and that does not really have extreme temperatures. The summers are actually pretty cool. However it does have pretty strong sunshine intensity / UV and can suffer from pretty extensive droughts. So this is what I think is the main issue. Generally speaking, Juania prefers mild temperate conditions with fairly generous rainfall.

[Hu Palmeras]

Of course, my friend, in Europe they're being displayed as trophies. In Spain, England, Ireland, and some other countries, these palm trees, having more seeds, will become more widespread.

[tim_brissy_13]

1 hour ago, UK_Palms said:

Juania Australis is much tougher than people make out. Dr Kevin Spence has a specimen in his garden in Leicestershire in central England and it has survived 40C / 104F back in July 2022. There was probably a night that did not drop below about 27C / 80F as well. So the occasional 40C temperatures with 27C nighttime minimums are not really an issue, at least not here in the UK.

 

As for winter temperatures, he wraps his up a bit as it is still fairly smallish, but it never gets damaged. I believe the biggish specimen in Portchester just inland from Portsmouth has taken a number of -5C and -6C nights back in January 2021 and December 2022 with no issues. So temperatures between 40C and -5C are not really an issue for this species, based on observations here in the UK.

I suspect summer droughts and exceptionally strong sunshine may be the main issues. If the roots dry out too much and the palm does not get adequate irrigation, it will likely be prone to issues. This will be exacerbated in proper dry summer climates or semi-arid climates. These areas get far stronger sunshine too, which may be an issue in the Med region with very little cloud cover compared to the native range and when combined with the dryness, this may be the main driver for specimens dying.

A number of them died in San Francisco I believe and that does not really have extreme temperatures. The summers are actually pretty cool. However it does have pretty strong sunshine intensity / UV and can suffer from pretty extensive droughts. So this is what I think is the main issue. Generally speaking, Juania prefers mild temperate conditions with fairly generous rainfall.

I think with heat nearly any species can survive freak events like that if they aren’t repeated and if kept moist. Here we had 47C/117F back in 2009 and many Ceroxylon and some Lepidorrhachis and Hedyscepe survived although I know Juania is another level. 
 

Id love to give Juania a go one day but would really love for some to get down to Tassie. @Jonathan need to try to get some of these!

[Hu Palmeras]

If I had any seeds, I would donate them. This palm tree is from an island called Robinson Crusoe in Chile. The locals are very strict, and the Chilean government is even more so. The park ranger gave me some seeds, but he told me he couldn't help me any more because it was illegal. If I could get them later, it would be a fortune, friends. I hope these seeds turn up somewhere.

[Jonathan]

10 hours ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

I think with heat nearly any species can survive freak events like that if they aren’t repeated and if kept moist. Here we had 47C/117F back in 2009 and many Ceroxylon and some Lepidorrhachis and Hedyscepe survived although I know Juania is another level. 
 

Id love to give Juania a go one day but would really love for some to get down to Tassie. @Jonathan need to try to get some of these!

Don't I know it! 

[Mazat]

13 hours ago, UK_Palms said:

Juania Australis is much tougher than people make out. Dr Kevin Spence has a specimen in his garden in Leicestershire in central England and it has survived 40C / 104F back in July 2022. There was probably a night that did not drop below about 27C / 80F as well. So the occasional 40C temperatures with 27C nighttime minimums are not really an issue, at least not here in the UK.

 

As for winter temperatures, he wraps his up a bit as it is still fairly smallish, but it never gets damaged. I believe the biggish specimen in Portchester just inland from Portsmouth has taken a number of -5C and -6C nights back in January 2021 and December 2022 with no issues. So temperatures between 40C and -5C are not really an issue for this species, based on observations here in the UK.

I suspect summer droughts and exceptionally strong sunshine may be the main issues. If the roots dry out too much and the palm does not get adequate irrigation, it will likely be prone to issues. This will be exacerbated in proper dry summer climates or semi-arid climates. These areas get far stronger sunshine too, which may be an issue in the Med region with very little cloud cover compared to the native range and when combined with the dryness, this may be the main driver for specimens dying.

A number of them died in San Francisco I believe and that does not really have extreme temperatures. The summers are actually pretty cool. However it does have pretty strong sunshine intensity / UV and can suffer from pretty extensive droughts. So this is what I think is the main issue. Generally speaking, Juania prefers mild temperate conditions with fairly generous rainfall.

That's very interesting and useful information, i.e. facts. Thank you very much, Ben.
I'm amazed that it can survive 40 degrees Celsius unscathed. 
Apparently, however, this species is difficult to obtain, at least the seeds. Apart from the price—which will probably be very high—it is a very interesting species. But regarding absolute minimum temperatures, what do you think, Ben, could it even survive -8 degrees Celsius if it weren't for a few nights in a row?

 

[Mazat]

11 hours ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

I think with heat nearly any species can survive freak events like that if they aren’t repeated and if kept moist. Here we had 47C/117F back in 2009 and many Ceroxylon and some Lepidorrhachis and Hedyscepe survived although I know Juania is another level. 
 

Id love to give Juania a go one day but would really love for some to get down to Tassie. @Jonathan need to try to get some of these!

47 degrees Celsius, that's extreme, Tim. The fact that she can survive this is nothing short of a miracle for us here. Her resilience is astonishing. 
What some of our beloved pets endure is simply remarkable, given that they are not as mobile as animals and us. Viewed from all different angles, the whole of nature is a miracle and we are privileged to be part of it if we keep our eyes and all our senses open 🤗

[PalmatierMeg]

I have seen photos of Juanias grown in Ireland and San Francisco, nowhere else outside of its island habitat. It has the reputation of being the most difficult palm to grow in the world. Congrats on getting your seeds to germinate.

[Hu Palmeras]

I suggest that if you want seeds, you come to Chile. You should come to Chile and then board the plane to Robinson Crusoe Island (Juán Fernandez). I believe there are seeds available in March or April.

[Foggy Paul]

I would love to try to grow Juania here. I visit the one down the hill at the Strybing a few times a year and it always looks great, even with the kids’ names etched into the trunk.

[richnorm]

1 hour ago, Hu Palmeras said:

I suggest that if you want seeds, you come to Chile. You should come to Chile and then board the plane to Robinson Crusoe Island (Juán Fernandez). I believe there are seeds available in March or April.

Is there still a population at Vina del Mar?

[Hu Palmeras]

Yes, there are some in the city of Viña del Mar, but they haven't produced seeds yet. It must be that some palm trees and their sexes are missing. They must be male and female to produce seeds. I'll try to convince the island's residents by paying them a lot of money, so that it will result in obtaining these seeds, friends.

[SeanK]

On 10/4/2025 at 2:26 PM, Hu Palmeras said:

Simply Juania Australis

Son de las Isla Juan Fernandez?

[Hu Palmeras]

That's right, my friend. I'm very interested in this palm tree. I had a hard time getting the seeds. I'm trying to convince the locals to give me some. In ancient times, corsairs, pirates, and sailors came to the island in search of adventure. They fed on this palm tree and used it for food. Alexander Selkirk, a Scottish (Celtic) sailor, landed on the island, hence its name.

[Tyrone]

On 10/8/2025 at 6:11 AM, UK_Palms said:

Juania Australis is much tougher than people make out. Dr Kevin Spence has a specimen in his garden in Leicestershire in central England and it has survived 40C / 104F back in July 2022. There was probably a night that did not drop below about 27C / 80F as well. So the occasional 40C temperatures with 27C nighttime minimums are not really an issue, at least not here in the UK.

 

As for winter temperatures, he wraps his up a bit as it is still fairly smallish, but it never gets damaged. I believe the biggish specimen in Portchester just inland from Portsmouth has taken a number of -5C and -6C nights back in January 2021 and December 2022 with no issues. So temperatures between 40C and -5C are not really an issue for this species, based on observations here in the UK.

I suspect summer droughts and exceptionally strong sunshine may be the main issues. If the roots dry out too much and the palm does not get adequate irrigation, it will likely be prone to issues. This will be exacerbated in proper dry summer climates or semi-arid climates. These areas get far stronger sunshine too, which may be an issue in the Med region with very little cloud cover compared to the native range and when combined with the dryness, this may be the main driver for specimens dying.

A number of them died in San Francisco I believe and that does not really have extreme temperatures. The summers are actually pretty cool. However it does have pretty strong sunshine intensity / UV and can suffer from pretty extensive droughts. So this is what I think is the main issue. Generally speaking, Juania prefers mild temperate conditions with fairly generous rainfall.

Maybe an older specimen can breeze through the temps you describe but young specimens can’t. Also the average conditions have a lot to do with it. If the right conditions happen 99% of the time an older established in the ground specimen can tolerate a couple of spikes out of the range over an extended period of time, but that diminishes greatly for seedlings. If your temps are out of range for more than that your chances quickly diminish. Having tried them as seedlings, I doubt anywhere on the Australian mainland would ever stand a chance. If you live on an offshore island off southern Australia (King Island etc) surrounded by constant sea breezes in a perfect spot, or southern Tassie in a similar place you have a good chance I reckon. The Chatham Islands off NZ would be ideal too. 

[tim_brissy_13]

2 hours ago, Tyrone said:

Maybe an older specimen can breeze through the temps you describe but young specimens can’t. Also the average conditions have a lot to do with it. If the right conditions happen 99% of the time an older established in the ground specimen can tolerate a couple of spikes out of the range over an extended period of time, but that diminishes greatly for seedlings. If your temps are out of range for more than that your chances quickly diminish. Having tried them as seedlings, I doubt anywhere on the Australian mainland would ever stand a chance. If you live on an offshore island off southern Australia (King Island etc) surrounded by constant sea breezes in a perfect spot, or southern Tassie in a similar place you have a good chance I reckon. The Chatham Islands off NZ would be ideal too. 

I’ve got a vision of getting some cool climate palms up onto the Mt Dandenong Ranges Botanic Gardens in Olinda, VIC. They have a cloudforest collection and I think Ceroxylon, Parajubaea, Hedyscepe, Lepidorrhachis, high elevation Geonoma and potentially Juania would do well there. More than twice the rainfall compared to Melbourne metropolitan area and much cooler year round temps. When I visited in February this year, it was 11C (52F) all day with light rain! Despite being around 600m above sea level, the minimum temperature rarely if ever drops below freezing. The Archontophoenix cunninghamiana I saw in the gardens there was better than any example in Melbourne. Monthly temp averages:

 

[Hu Palmeras]

In southern Chile, there's a city called Valdivia. A man named Alberto had some palm trees that yielded seeds. He sold them to many people around the world. He also sold them to a member of PalmTalk. He sold them for a very high price. It turned out that all the palm trees died from the cold. He told me he only kept a few smaller ones. He received seeds from the palm trees in his area and from central Chile. It's a shame no one has the protocol yet for selling these seeds on a large scale. My friend has a Juana Australis on the continent, but it's still small. If I had the protocol, I'd make a fortune selling all the seeds.