Jubaea chilensis and possibly Jubaea chilensis x Butia F1

[Jonathan Haycock]

Not a palm I've seen advertised for sale much here in South Australia, so when I came across these 5 young Jubaea chilensis on Gumtree I jumped at the opportunity.

The private seller grew them from seed and claimed they were around 5 years old. In need of a re-pot, but very healthy.

$100 AUD (£55 GBP/€61 EURO/$73 USD) for the lot!!! 

I believe some of them are hybrids (JxB F1) as does Nigel Kembrey.

What do you think?

[Collectorpalms]

I have grown most of the hybrids, but not all. And I have grown several or all Butia from seed or liner. In my opnion it is a butia or butia x jubaea f2. I do not see the JUB very much. If you are in a warm humid climate then the Jub would be very slow or unhealthy. 

Edited September 8, 2020 by Collectorpalms

[Jonathan Haycock]

1 hour ago, Collectorpalms said:

I have grown most of the hybrids, but not all. And I have grown several or all Butia from seed or liner. In my opnion it is a butia or butia x jubaea f2. I do not see the JUB very much. If you are in a warm humid climate then the Jub would be very slow or unhealthy. 

The following photos are of the same JxB F1 I got directly from Patric Schafer. I’m struggling to see a difference between that palm and the ones I’ve recently acquired.

[Jonathan Haycock]

Here’s the same 5 plants with a closer look at the base. I’m seeing more Jubaea than Butia TBH. Notice the lack of fibrous “teeth” on the lower petioles.

[Jubaea_James760]

I agree, I see Jubaea in all 5 plants. Whether its 100% Jubaea or a cross its really hard to tell. Time will tell but I'm leaning more towards 100% Jubaea. 

[Collectorpalms]

what did the seller say they were? One can tell a big difference between the seeds.  I live in a hot humid climate, but grew jubaea from seed, mine did not look like those. Those looked more like the hybrid and not Jubaea. Are there Jubaea growing in Gumtree? Is that climate suitable. That is very cheap price for 5 palms regardless. I am sure you would agree that those as hybrid would be more expensive than either pure parent. Some of the look is the growth of the palm and due to the climate and how fast they grow. I could stare at them all day, unless I personally had the seeds I wouldn't know until it was planted and grew.  If it died for me then it would be Jubaea most likely. Even then in a climate like San Antonio there is a palm tree no one really 100 certain knows was it is. Other than it has Jubaea in it and maybe butia. Here it is again. San Antonio is a more forgiving climate. It also has grown a lot in the last 20 years and I would not expect that in a pure Jubaea. I personally think this palm whatever it is, is rare and probably the only one its size in Texas.  Unless they have been tricked in from California by a private collector. There was someone in San Angelo, Texas that brought in Jubaea from California. I do not think any remain. But I wish they did.
 

Edited September 8, 2020 by Collectorpalms

[Collectorpalms]

Here is a hybrid butia jubaea grown in California. That is closest to yours. Those are not pure jubaea in my opinion. 

 

Edited September 8, 2020 by Collectorpalms

[Jonathan Haycock]

29 minutes ago, Collectorpalms said:

what did the seller say they were? One can tell a big difference between the seeds.  I live in a hot humid climate, but grew jubaea from seed, mine did not look like those. Those looked more like the hybrid and not Jubaea. Are there Jubaea growing in Gumtree? Is that climate suitable. That is very cheap price for 5 palms regardless. I am sure you would agree that those as hybrid would be more expensive than either pure parent. Some of the look is the growth of the palm and due to the climate and how fast they grow. I could stare at them all day, unless I personally had the seeds I wouldn't know until it was planted and grew.  If it died for me then it would be Jubaea most likely. 

The seller advertised them as Chilean Wine Palm (aka Jubaea chilensis), but to be honest he wasn’t that knowledgeable on palm species despite growing many varieties in his garden.

He claimed the seeds were sourced from the local newspaper classifieds so unfortunately the trail runs cold on IDing the “mother” palm. Also seeds are long gone.

Pure Jubaea I’d be happy with, JxB I’d be over the moon.

Gumtree is an online market place in Australia. I actually live in South Australia and we are blessed with many mature Jubaea in Adelaide. It’s the perfect climate for them here.

Yes JxB F1 hybrid is certainly worth a lot more money than pure Jubaea as they are so attractive and very rare. Still, natural JxB hybrids can and do pop up from time to time. Sometimes in the hands of those that do not realise what they have. I’m sure if the seller thought they were hybrids and realised how valuable they were, he wouldn’t have let them go for the price I paid. Even if pure Jubaea, I got a bargain that’s for sure.

Edited September 8, 2020 by Jonathan Haycock

[Jonathan Haycock]

13 minutes ago, Collectorpalms said:

Here is a hybrid butia jubaea grown in California. That is closest to yours. Those are not pure jubaea in my opinion. 

 

I agree, I don’t think my 5 are pure Jubaea, but certainly have some Jubaea in them.

[Collectorpalms]

I guess a grower in a less hot and humid should chime in then. I looked at 5 gallon hybrids and Jubaea in the UK and they look similar, but by 15 plus gallon size there was noticeable difference. 

Edited September 8, 2020 by Collectorpalms