Juania
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| Juania australis (Mart.) Drude ex Hook. f. |
Juania australis is a species of flowering plant in the Arecaceae family. It is found only in Chile. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Juania australis is a solitary trunked palm tree which grows on the Juan fernandez islands off the coast of Chile. This palm is slow growing and has a green trunk, plants are either male or female. It is extremely rare in cultivation and only one mature tree grows outside its natural habitat. Seeds from Juania australis are also banned from being exported from the Juan Fernandez Islands by the Chilean government, for this reason seeds are virtually impossible to get hold of. It is also extremely hard to grow as it has very particular requirements, preferring cool night temperatures and summer temperatures below 25 degrees Celsius, they are cold tolerant to about -5 degrees Celsius. It can grow seemingly happy for years and then die for no apparent reason. It has been grown successfully in San Francisco, but two were lost there during a hot summer. There is a large specimen growing happily in Dublin, Ireland, and also another one growing in a private garden in Co Kerry, Ireland, where the climate seems to suit this palm tree.
[edit] References
- World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. Juania australis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 20 July 2007.
