Grow a new Chilean wine palm from seed. Clean the pulp off a ripe fruit, soak or crack the hard pit, sow the seeds in a draining pot, and keep the mix warm and moist until they sprout.
Soak or crack the hard pit, and sow in a warm mix
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Seed | Ripe yellow fruit, cleaned of pulp, sown while fresh | Do not sow a green fruit, and do not leave the flesh on the pit |
| Prep | Soak 12 to 24 hours, or crack the stony pit with one blow and lift out the seed | Do not crush the seed inside, and do not store dry seed in an open bag |
| Pot | A draining pot with a sandy mix; sow just covered | Do not sit the pot in standing water |
| Warmth | About 70 to 85 F, mix kept moist | Do not let the mix dry out, and do not keep it cold |
Chilean wine palm does not make rooted suckers, and a frond cutting will not grow. Seed is the way to start a new plant. The pit is a hard stone around one seed. Fresh seed sprouts more reliably, so sow soon after you clean it. [1] Soak the pit in water for 12 to 24 hours, or crack the stone with one blow and lift the seed out. Repeated blows crush the seed. [2]
- Pull ripe yellow fruit, or pick it up as soon as it drops. Do not pick green fruit.
- Rub the flesh off and rinse the pit.
- Soak the pit 12 to 24 hours, changing the water, or crack it once and lift out the seed. Throw out any you crushed.
- Fill a draining pot with a sandy mix. Sow the seed just covered, and water once to settle the mix.
Can I grow Chilean wine palm from a cutting?
No. A frond or trunk cutting will not grow, and this palm does not make pups. Sow seed after you soak or crack the pit.
Keep the mix warm and moist until it sprouts
A cutting will not grow, so wait on the seed. [3] Keep the mix moist at about 70 to 85 F. Fresh seed often sprouts in three to six months. Some pits sit a year or more, and old dry seed is slower still. Fresh seed in a warm bag of moist mix can show a root in a few weeks. [4]
- Slip the pot into a plastic bag, or use a covered tray, so the air stays humid.
- Set the pot in a warm room, or on a heat mat, near 70 to 85 F.
- Keep the mix moist. Soggy mix rots the seed; a dry mix stops it.
- Open the bag every few days so the mix can breathe, then close it again.
- Wait through three to six months before you give up on fresh seed. Some pits take much longer.
- Once a seedling shows, take off the bag, keep it warm and bright, and wait until it has several leaves before you move it to its own pot or into ground that drains in warm weather.
After the seedling is growing, sun, drain, and the fertilizer stay on How to Grow Chilean Wine Palm.
How long do Chilean wine palm seeds take to sprout?
Fresh seed in a warm, moist mix often sprouts in three to six months. Some pits take a year or more. Old dry seed is slower.
If nothing has sprouted after a few months, keep the mix moist and warm. Fresh seed is slow; old dry seed is slower.
FAQ
Can I eat Chilean wine palm fruit?
Ripe coquito fruit has a coconut-like taste. Clean the pulp off and sow while the seed is fresh. Do not cut the growing point for sap or heart of palm; that kills the tree.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] Royal Horticultural Society -
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/9499/jubaea-chilensis/details - [2] Sheffield's Seed Company -
https://sheffields.com/seeds/Jubaea/chilensis - [3] The Palm Society -
http://www.palmsociety.org/members/english/chamaerops/004/004-08.shtml - [4] Trees and Shrubs Online -
https://www.treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/jubaea/jubaea-chilensis/
This note is part of Jubaea Guides.
More notes on making another plant live in Propagating Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors