Family: Arecaceae
Common Name: Chilean Wine Palm, Coquito Palm

This single-species genus of palms from the coastal regions of Chile is the most cold-toler­ant of all southern hemisphere palms, appear­ing at its best in temperate climates. It has become rare in its homeland where it has been constantly cut down to harvest the sweet sap distilled to make palm honey.

Species

J. chilensis is a feather palm which grows up to 20 m (65 ft) tall. It is slow growing in its early years but grows more rapidly once it has formed a trunk. It has a huge trunk, often over a metre in diameter, which in old palms tapers just below the crown. The trunk is smooth, dull gray in colour, and is patterned lightly with diamond shapes. The large crown is formed from a dense mass of long, arching, dark green leaflets with a thick midrib. It pro­duces many short, yellow inflorescences and large fruits, the flesh of which tastes rather like that of the coconut.

Cultivation

Chilean wine palm is very slow growing, preferring a sunny position and a rea­sonably deep, moist soil. Propagate from fresh seed. Germination will take several months.

Climate

Zone 9.