Jubea

I don't give a lot of thought to living a long time. Frankly, I am amazed I made it this long. I have several older friends who have recently had medical calamities of some sort, so the end ain't ever exactly pretty, unless of course, everything stays hunky dory and you manage to go in your sleep.

In any case, I do have one reason for wanting to extend my lifespan, my jubea chilensis.

The jubea, or Chilean Wine Palm, is in my opinion, the prettiest palm in the world. It certainly has the widest trunk of any palm in the world.

It is a pretty notorious slow grower. 

Mine is about fifteen years old now.  

These are the cold hardiest palms in the world, they grow in the snow in their native land.

Many have been killed by those tapping them for the sap in their trunk which is fermented for palm wine.

I estimate mine has about four foot of trunk right now and a trunk diameter of about 42".

About 18' to the top of its highest frond.

It's growing but not fast enough for me. 

Although it looks great now, it will look totally amazing once mature in my garden.

You can see its dark green foliage behind the other plants in this picture, to the right of the cactus spires.

Has a very deep color, which is nicely accented by the brahea armata or Mexican blue in the front right of it.

Another slow grower.

I want to see the jubea in its regal magnificence, like the jubeas in Mission Bay near the Bahia, or in front of the DeYoung Museum or the Santa Barbara Courthouse.

If only I should live that long.