I have a butia x jubaea seedling in a 5 gallon. Ill post a pic for you later today.

I have had one for 3 years growing inside in a pot and I swear it looks the same as the day I bought it.

I planted one in or around 1980 in Patterson ca for a friend.Lost touch and dont know how it's done. Made it through the first Tule fog and icy road winter,I know that.
But you do make me wonder that I havent read of them in the hotter valley or desert areas. It's such a rare palm anyways.

I think that the soil it is planted in could make a big difference. Before the Jubaea was in that spot, i had an avocado tree there (the avocado died because of too much salt in the water) but that's not the point. Because i wanted to give the avocado good soil, i dug a hole four feet deep and about two feet wide and filled it with fresh compost, rich soil, perlite and fertilizer. Well, when the avocado croaked, i planted this jubaea. So this jubaea has a lot of space to establish an extensive root system. I also fertilized this jubaea with a palm fertilizer about four or five times this summer. Here is this same Jubaea in May of this year with just one strap leaf:
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I'm also wondering if this species would like more sun. Mine is shaded completely by a tecoma stans and a couple of brugmansias. I'm wondering if more sun would make it grow faster, or if it would make it slower? Anyone know?

Sorry, Stan i missed your post. I have seen them in SoCal, further in from the coast and they seem to do fine. I've seen a couple in the Beverly Hills and Hollywood areas. I've also seen them in the Pasadena/Azusa/Burbank area (northern and eastern LA basin). It would be interesting to see that Patterson palm. Maybe you should bring your camera down to the valley one of these days and give us all an update on that one.

For you light shade would seem ideal Josh. It's just a natural trait for the majority of palm species to prefer some shade as seedlings where there is appropiate heat. It has the added advantage of giving some frost protection during the coldest parts of the year. Wine palms are tough,but seedlings are seedlings.

Hi Central cali369, I have a jub i have had for a few years that finally got planted out in may this year and its pushed a few new leaves too.

This first pic was back in 2004 when i bought it, it was 10 years old.

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Pic taken today and 4 years later its still growing nicely and does not seem to mind our wet winters, i think a raised bed is a must when grown here, as i'm sure drainage is key.

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Wow trachy that looks great ! congrats.

Nice trachyhead! i really like how these look even at such a young age (relatively young compared to how long they can live!) I'm sure drainage is a must. I've seen many in San Francisco and the Los Angeles areas, but not a single one in the inland central valley (In California). Who knows why. They certainly can thrive here with no care - except for irrigation that is. Here are a couple in San Francisco, and we all know of the famous SF fog that persists year round, so it's very wet throughout the whole year. These are in Golden Gate Park near the DeYoung Museum.
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I bought mine as a 15 Gallon and planted it in January of 2003. Now after only 6 years it's 10' tall and 10' wide. I've heard that seedlings can take full sun but mine do way better in my shadehouse (55% shade) until well established in a 5 gallon pot. I don't know how to add a photo or I'd include some pics. I live 1/2 mile from the beach on the Central Coast of California. -Tito

Hey tito, we would like to see your palm. Here are some simple instructions on how to post your picture:

1. upload your pictures to photobucket.com or any other photo site.

2. use this html code

<_img src="<b>You%20paste%20the%20URL%20of%20the%20image%20here.%20If%20you%20are%20using%20photobucket,%20it%20is%20called%20the%20direct%20link%20and%20it%20starts%20with%20http://www.photobucket.....</b>" _>

please note that the underscores ( _ ) are actually not supposed to be there. It should go together. I just used underscores so that a red X wouldn't show up. The only space you need to use is the one between img and src

Here are some images that I thought you would like:

Awesome Titodelaselva! Who ever said Jubs are slow. A more perfect looking palm you could not wish for. Are they queens in the background?

Thanks Trachyhead. It is growing faster than I expected but undoubtedly was already over 5 years old when I bought it in the 15 Gallon container. Those are Queen palms in the backround, I planted them about 20 years ago and the tallest is about 50'. Im growing about 30 different species of Palms in the ground now at my house. I'd try more but am running out of space! From the looks of your garden it seems you've got the same disease as I have. Very Nice! Tito

I've never seen one in Texas...they're beautiful palms but I don't think they would enjoy the hot humid summers here.

Hey Tito, nice little selva you've got going on there. The Syagrus' trunks look very nice - almost completely white. I have 6 that are just beginning to trunk. So within 10 years or so, my Jubaea should look like yours. Seems like a long time huh?

Yeh the seedling stage is notoriously slow with Jubaea chilensis. They are awesome trees though once they take hold. There are a couple large, old trees close to where I live and it's amazing how massive the trunks get.

planting one from 5gal pot here in the desert. i think its going to be touchy w 110F+ temps but i'll give it a go. pix to follow