Jubaea

Family: Arecaceae or Palms.

Origin. South America. 

Description. Jubaea chilensis is a large, showy palm with one, but very powerful, ringed trunk, bearing the remains of dead leaves. The luxurious crown of jubaea is formed by dark green pinnate leaves up to 3 m long, consisting of numerous narrow and hard leaf segments. Branched hanging inflorescences are often hidden among the leaves and bear many small flowers, male and female. After flowering, small round orange berries appear in place of the buds, which are considered edible. The palm grows extremely slowly and often requires several decades to form a trunk.

Height. In nature it reaches 15-20 m. In indoor culture young plants are kept.

Care at home

Temperature of palm tree maintenance

Tolerates a wide range of temperature conditions, including short-term frosts down to -15° C. During the growing season, it prefers temperatures within the range of 18 - 22° C. A cool dormant period at a temperature of 8 - 10° C in the winter months is desirable. 

Lighting

Young jubaea do not like direct sunlight, but plants several years old require a brightly lit place with direct sunlight for several hours daily. If there is a lack of natural light, especially in autumn and winter, artificial supplementary lighting with fluorescent lamps can be successfully used.

Care

Jubaea is one of the most unpretentious palms, while having a chic appearance. Take the palm outside in the summer under cover from wind and rain.

Substrate

Well-drained soil with sufficient coarse river sand and neutral or slightly acidic pH in the range of 6.1-6.5. A peat-based mixture with the addition of leaf humus, sphagnum moss, pine bark, fallen needles and small pieces of charcoal is suitable. The substrate should be well permeable to water and air. 

Feeding

In spring and summer, feed 2 times a month with water-soluble fertilizers. In autumn, stop feeding and resume only with the beginning of new growth. Reacts well to organic feeding.

Purpose

A large evergreen plant for landscaping spacious winter gardens, hotel lobbies and large office spaces.

Flowering time

Summer, flowering does not occur indoors. 

Air humidity

Does not require high humidity and feels good in a normal living atmosphere.

Soil moisture

Water regularly during the growing season, completely soaking the soil ball. Between waterings in spring and summer, dry only a small top layer of soil. In autumn, the frequency of watering is adjusted to the temperature of the content. When in a cool room, watering is reduced to a minimum, trying simply not to overdry the soil ball. 

Transplantation

A young palm needs to be repotted every 2-3 years. For large tub plants, the top 5-7 cm of soil is replaced with fresh soil every year. The pot for the Jubaea should have large drainage holes.

Reproduction

Like most palms, it reproduces by seeds. Seed germination directly depends on the time of collection. Seeds are sown in the spring in moist, nutritious soil. The germination process can take up to 1.5 years. 

Pests and diseases

Jubaea rot in poorly drained soil and in case of excessive watering during the cold season.

Among harmful insects, plants can be bothered by spider mites, scale insects, thrips, and mealybugs. 

Note

All sorts of drinks are prepared from the juice of this beautiful palm tree, which tastes like coconut milk. Sweet juice, which hardens in the air, is also obtained from the ripened fruits of the jubaea. All sorts of handicrafts imitating ivory are made from it, which is why this palm is sometimes called the elephant palm.