The Best Palm for UK Exotic or Tropical Style Gardens? Trachycarpus wagnerianus or Jubaea chilensis?

In today's video I look at why I believe Trachycarpus wagnerianus or 'Waggy' is the best cold-hardy, easy, tough and low maintenance palm choice to bring that evergreen exotic vibe to most UK tropical style, Mediterranean or even Japanese gardens. I look at my Jubaea chilensis and whilst it's certainly striking, it is slow growing, gets very large and demands a sunny, well drained spot for the best chance. Waggies on the other hand are very adaptable, relatively fast growing, compact plants that are wind resistant and ideal for a small garden or a larger garden in groups. It's an essential plant in my winter garden, bringing structure and evergreen interest and one that I believe deserves to be planted as an alternative to the standard Trachycarpus fortunei more! I cover UK palm care requirements -watering, feeding, positioning in a sunny vs. shady garden, preferred soil type and winter protection briefly but the good news is that Trachycarpus wagnerianus or Waggies are low maintenance and non-demanding plants that bring a tropical style and architectural impact to your garden all year round with no fuss.
0:00 Intro
0:43 Jubaea chilensis cold-hardy feather palm in my UK exotic garden
2:22 My best palm for UK tropical gardens - Trachycarpus wagnerianus
3:15 Trachycarpus wagnerianus - a tough, hardy and easy evergreen palm
4:01 Trachycarpus wagnerianus as your first palm - care requirements and positioning
5:04 Trachycarpus wagnerianus Waggy palm growth rate in UK
6:28 An exotic evergreen plant for small tropical gardens
7:40 A wind resistant palm for exposed UK gardens
9:02 Trachycarpus wagnerianus - A beautiful & low maintenance tropical style plant!
If you've enjoyed my content and would like to say thanks for the price of a coffee then please head over to my Ko-fi, any kind donations would be appreciated and put towards creating more exciting content: ko-fi.com/georgesjunglegarden​​
Thanks,
George

[@user-rf1cn7ds2y]

I love palm trees.... reminds me of Miami!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Amazing plants aren't they! We're certainly limited in terms of what varieties we can grow with our climate but luckily there's a good range of cold hardy palms available now that we use to create that Miami effect!

[@shineamenmbs3107]

2:28 & 6:52 What a beast! So beautiful, and so many qualities as you explain it. 6:01 Your little boy looks so proud and shy at the same time to show us your Waggies! Thank you! All the best!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Bernard and I’m pleased you enjoyed the vid! I don’t know if Max was proud or shy, but it’s certainly hard enough to keep him in one spot long enough to take a photo sometimes! 😂

[@shineamenmbs3107]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden Max has been a good boy this time!..Stars are not always easy to deal with...

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@shineamenmbs3107 Haha that is very true 😂

[@missdimples1982]

3 month's remaining until moving to a home with a garden, and I will be buying all these plants, can't wait. Thanks George

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Fantastic, I’m excited for you! Just in time for spring too! 😃

[@Dr1on]

Really great video, finding them very informative! Just moved into a house and have a garden for the first time, with plans to having it provide some escapism 😊

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much Scott, that’s what it’s about and it’s definitely exciting having your first house / garden! I generally just talk about the plants that interest me / I have experience of, mixed in with a few gardening ‘care’ videos and more general topics, I’m pleased to hear they’re helpful!

[@JB-lr1tf]

Thanks George great explanation again defo made my mind up this is one I'll be getting now your vedios are helping me a lot keep going 😊 💯

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

That’s great, thank you very much 😃

[@B4dlands]

Recently acquired 2 x Waggy's - even at a young age they look great - cant wait to get them in the ground next year. - Loved your videos this year - have a coffee on me...

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Nice one Martin and thank you so much, that’s really kind of you! Plenty more videos planned for next year and I’ve invested in some gear to up the quality too. They are lovely palms for sure and so perfect looking!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Just read your message on Ko-fi and it’s great to hear how well you’ve got on with these plants this year, I’m so pleased to hear my vids have been helpful / inspirational. Thanks again for the support and all the best 😃

[@jeffgilligan2004]

In my sometimes extremely windy garden on Willapa Bay on the Washington State coast, my Waggie is gorgeous. It looks almost impossibly beautiful, and has not been damaged by the occasionally gale winds.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

That sounds like the perfect palm for your garden then! I think they're beautiful too, so green and neat looking.

[@rmac8737]

Waggie is definitely on the list for my coastal highland garden. Its weird here as it does get cold but snow and ice/frost always disappears pretty quickly. Its the wind that's the main issue.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Good stuff Ruth, Chamaerops humilis is well worth a look too. Slow growing and more bushy but definitely tough and wind resistant.

[@alanhunter2009]

Hi George, "Waggie" in my experience is totally hardy in Edinburgh, laughs off severe frosts and snow with no need for protection whatsoever and this is in a 40 litre pot so roots hardy too. A Jubaea was lost a few years ago in an average winter. No contest.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks for the info Alan and great to know it backs up what I thought, they’re definitely tough plants! I didn’t intend to set it against the Jubaea as such, it’s not really a comparison as such but I thought it would be a good comparison in terms of growth rate / cost and hardiness. You don’t have to spend loads to get an attractive looking (non-Fortunei) palm that’ll grow well from a small size. I’ve just got back from Edinburgh, we went up to there and Glasgow last weekend!

[@alanhunter2009]

​.@@GeorgesJungleGardenHope you enjoyed your time in Edinburgh & Glasgow, George. It must have seemed like you were returning to a balmy, tropical paradise when you got back from Scotland. Anytime I travel only as far south as Yorkshire I notice the difference in the weather! Our street is a bit of a frost pocket, (have seen CONSTANT frost for 5 days) and receives no sun from Oct. to Feb., (plenty in the summer thank goodness), so if an exotic survives outdoors in our garden it will survive anywhere.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@alanhunter2009 It was good thanks, some snow on the way up but it was actually a good bit milder than it had been back here the previous colder week! Definitely unusual. I guess that’s true, thanks for testing the plants out for us!

[@linzi94]

My 6ft Waggie died after -10 and snow for a month north Lanarkshire

[@alanhunter2009]

@@linzi94 Sorry to hear this. Mine is a similar size in a large pot and survived -13C . I always brush off the snow to prevent the leaves being broken by the weight but otherwise it takes care of itself. I guess every microclimate is different. Treat yourself to another one.

[@maple494]

I recommend Trachycarpus takil, it's supposedly the hardiest Trachycarpus palm and it has bigger leaves than Waggie

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Definitely another good choice, a well grown Trachycarpus is a beautiful plant!

[@Knapper94]

Will probably look into a waggy in spring. Still need to get around the gf to let us cut down the massive conifers and open it up for a big border !

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Nice one, you won’t regret it, they’re lovely plants. Good luck with the permission and the job itself! It’ll take some graft to get them out and the soil usable but I’m sure it’ll be worth it!

[@Knapper94]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden Yeah I did worry about the soil not being useable, ive been told if we take out as much as possible of the stumps and roots and dress it all with enough compost/soil it will be fine? My backup plan was to have the trees and big shrubs in massive pots and kind of half bury them into the ground then just fill the area over the top with compost and soil to plant other smaller stuff.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@Knapper94 I’d agree with that, the soil will take some breaking up and adding the organic matter to it will help put back in what the conifers took out. It’s definitely worth doing properly though, if you try to cut corners you’ll wish you’d prepared it properly when you got chance!

[@raphlvlogs271]

the have a great potential to naturalise as well.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Definitely! The blackbirds used to eat the berries off my fortunei at our old house, that’s all it takes…

[@Tony.795]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden They can become quite a pest though in warmer areas.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@Tony.795 Yes, I've seen that. Luckily they are relatively slow growing and easier to remove than a lot of other invasive plants but they're certainly adaptable and tolerant of a wide range of conditions for such an exotic looking plant.

[@Tony.795]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden I've dug a very small one out for my garden last year and it survived the winter without any protection. The minimum temperature was around -15 C. Maybe they're a bit hardier than those you can buy in a nursery. I'm more of a tree and shrub guy myself but I thought I'd try a palm that's grown here.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@Tony.795 Oh yeah, I think it’s one of those things where a self-seeded plant is certainly more resilient and adaptable than a planted one, it’s root system hasn’t been disturbed etc. They are very tough palms but surviving -15 would usually require a more mature plant or sheltered spot for definite.

[@OssyDL]

Just bought myself a waggie last week in 7L pot as my rabbit hutch snapped my brahea armata trunk in the storm last week(gutted was an understatement) have been looking for a jubaea but after this video think i might need to save up abit more to get a decent size one haha.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Sorry to hear about the Brahea but you won’t regret getting the Waggie, they’re definitely tougher and a faster grower! As for the Jubaea, I don’t want to put you off getting a smaller one (I’ve grown some from seed myself!) but if you want a big plant in the next 20 years you definitely have to start at a half decent size. It’s unfortunate how much they’ve gone up in price over recent years though!

[@OssyDL]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden i think most plants have gone up to be honest the sites i found with decent prices and plants wont ship to the uk due to brexit. How is the butia in hardiness compared to the jubaea? I have a youngish one probably about 50cm in height.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@OssyDL Yeah, it’s a tricky situation for sure. I actually got one of my Jubs from Big Plant Nursery a few years back, just before all the palm ban and import restrictions kicked in. I was making up my mind about it then when I rung up to pay they had a 20% off due to the January sale so I was mega lucky! Might be worth trying there too if Hardy Palms haven’t got any in. As for the Butia, they’re tough on paper but I don’t think they like our wet, cold winters - the Jubaea definitely has an advantage.

[@user-wq3zg7uk2z]

Great video! What you think about Butia Capitata?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you! They’re nice and in sheltered sunny spots they look fantastic. Unfortunately they’re just not quite hardy enough across a lot of the UK but maybe will become a better option if winters continue to get more mild.

[@linzi94]

Both my Waggie and Fortunei died after prolonged -10 and a month of snow, they were 6 and 9ft respectively.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

That’s such a shame Linzi, are you in a very exposed rural location and were they recently planted?

[@trevsutton8185]

Another great video George, can you recommend any specialist nurseries to buy decent sized waggies from , I would prefer to buy from a specialist to ensure the quality of plants and to support smaller companies

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Trev. There used to be a company called The Palm House run by another George who specialised in beautiful Waggies but I think he’s winding down the online side of things now so Hardy Palms would be my go to place. If Nigel has them in, they’ll definitely be good quality and at a fair price.

[@trevsutton8185]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden thanks George I'll give him a try 👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@trevsutton8185 Nice one, fingers crossed you can get one sorted🤞

[@amandahuby871]

Revamping my hot sunny border love exotic palms , also live in North Lincolnshire, where are you ?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Nice one Amanda, that's great. We're not far from Brigg.

[@seansmith445]

I feel the Trachycarpus Fortunei is a more aesthetically pleasing palm than the Waggie. I planted a Waggy in my garden and regret that I didn't opt for a Fortunei instead.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Are your Waggies quite tall then? I know as they get taller, the larger crown of the fortunei can look better proportioned but personally I think younger Waggies are very aesthetically pleasing. Fortunei can be too obviously but really need a more sheltered spot and half decent growing conditions to not look a bit tatty, especially close up. I like them both though!

[@seansmith445]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden My Waggie is about 8' tall now and growing fast. I like the long leaves on the Fortunei and the way they bend as opposed to the shorter stiff leaves on the waggie. I feel the Fortunei is a more elegant palm.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@seansmith445 That's completely fair Sean and a well grown fortunei in a good spot is definitely a graceful and beautiful plant for sure. Where wind is a factor though I think the Waggies take the edge!

[@cboaustralia]

George thanks for another great video on palms great addition to any garden and getting more popular. I’ve planted two fortunei in April in the front garden at least just under 2 foot of trunk, large hole was dug for both of them and filled in with John innans, sand and grit they both were a dark green colour when planted and due to the very dry weather over the summer they have turned a lime green yellow colour within a short time of planting. Now we are in December lots of rain cooler temps and still remain the same colour lime green yellow, there are new spikes appearing and have grown new frons during the summer. I have a chamerops fan palm 3 of them in the same part of the garden and they are a dark green including a pindo palm all looking dark and lush but the fortunei are not what do you think I need to do to get them lush green? I have a neighbour round the corner from me who has palms in the front garden I would say for the first two to three years and they are such a dark lush green where have or am I going wrong? They are eagle palms that’s the company grown in the french Pyrenees they are fantastic palms smaller crown like a waggie but bigger stronger frons and have been grown in special conditions in mountain region any tips at all in how I can help my palms would be greatly appreciated. A lot of info there but just wanted to paint the whole picture.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Chris and thanks for the info. It’s hard to say for definite but usually yellowing is either a water or nutrient issue. Out of interest what size pots were the palms in and does the area they were planted in get waterlogged when it rains / has heavy clay soil?

[@cboaustralia]

George thank you for your reply they are planted in a gravel bed it has clay soil I would class it as a well drained it’s a new build house with plenty of sand and rubble ie stones in the soil I defo do not think it would be waterlogged especially during that summer we had with like 3 months of no rain I didn’t water them to much during the summer as they were turning to the lime green colour maybe I should of watered them more. But they are in well drained soil John innans with lots of grit and sand. They were in 15 ltr pots with just over a foot of trunk and the hole was maybe one to two foot diameter filled with grit sand and compost you think there’s to much drainage?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@cboaustralia They’re not palms that specifically need sharp drainage but as long as they’re not either sat in water or they can’t get their roots down into it they should be OK. I guess with the plants only having a small rootball when newly planted and going into well drained soil, the main cause of the yellowing is down to them not having enough water - a nutrient deficiency surely wouldn’t show up that quickly when they’ve been previously pot grown. Personally I’d leave them to it, maybe give them a feed in spring and keep them well watered next year, the new fronds should come through greener once the roots have settled in more.

[@cboaustralia]

Yeah they changed from a dark green to lime yellow quite quick so it must be a water and settling in there new bed I’d say I was watering then once a week to once every two weeks during that hot period in the summer how often should I water them in the summer? Maybe ther is too much drainage plus not watering them to much especially if it’s there first time in the ground. Many thanks George once again for your advise and knowledgeable insights thank you

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@cboaustralia No worries. Personally I’d water every few days in summer if it hasn’t rained, just this next summer while they settle in. You won’t overwater them while it’s warm so give them a really good soaking if you only do it once a week. They’re tough plants though and should bounce back just fine when their roots are down.

[@paultsworld]

Really interesting video. So I buy a really small ‘waggie’ ’ in Spring - at what size would it be ‘safe’ to take out of its pot and plant out in the garden, assuming your climate. And in its very first Winter planted out would it need any extra protection. Thanks - love these informative videos.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Paul and thanks, I had small plants (less than a foot tall, a small trunk forming) out last winter without protection and they didn’t take any damage - we saw -6 a couple of times. If it’s a mild to average modern winter and you don’t live in an exposed spot then I imagine they’ll be fine out at that size, if you want to be on the safe side then maybe when they’re in a 10-20lt pot and 2 foot tall, or you could always fleece them on the coldest nights. Not really a definite guide as such but in the winters we seem to be having, even smaller plants are tough.

[@paultsworld]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden thanks George for your excellent in-depth reply - just the advice I was after.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@paultsworld No worries Paul, happy to help!

[@Buuge124]

Hi George, wondered if you might be able to help? I was at the garden centre yesterday and almost got conned by a ‘Chaemarops Excelsa’ that was described as a single trunk palm. It looked like a Trachycarpus Fortunei but it had significantly bigger leaves almost like a shade grown Chaemarops Humilis or princeps size. However my research after getting home shows me there is no such palm and the name is an inaccurate old term for a Fortunei. Any ideas on what I saw and more importantly shall I go back and buy it?! Thanks

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, it will indeed be a fortunei (a local garden centre uses the same name!) and it could have either been shade grown or just grown really well! They can have really big leaves but usually when you see them in garden centres they’ve been field grown, dig up and put in little pots so never look their best. If it’s a nice plant, you want one and a fair price then go for it though, it’s always great to have a nice specimen than take your chances buying online!

[@pauljohnson2543]

Hi mate watched all your videos and love the content , we have just brought a house and will be planting our own tropical garden , can I just ask what's the best time of year to remove rough looking leaves from a palm , also the area we will be planting in I have dug the grass off , what's the best thing I can do with the soil now to give my palms and plants the best start in spring ? Cheers bud

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Paul and thank you very much. It’s an exciting time for you then! Probably the next thing you can do for most plants is give the area a good mulch of manure or soil conditioner, I’ll be doing vids of that soon but it’s definitely worth doing to stop weeds and improve the soil. As for the palm, you can chop them off any time but I wouldn’t remove anything that’s still got green in it, they still provide energy to the plant.

[@pauljohnson2543]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden hiya mate , yes very exiting iv got a 12 plants ready to go in I can't wait till spring 😀 so I will dig some mulch into the area and get that ready then , all I need now is my bananas I love the look of these in your garden , I don't know why but the green ones remind me of the Caribbean, thanks again mate I look forward to more of your content

[@pauljohnson2543]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden hi mate also I have a garden bin full of old tree leaves and grass cuttings are these any good for digging into the soil ?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@pauljohnson2543 Nice one, it’s a plan and you won’t go wrong with Musa basjoo green bananas. Good luck with it all!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@pauljohnson2543 Hi Paul, the leaves could be, grass clippings can take a bit longer to rot. But if you’re adding manure I’d be tempted to chuck it all in, it’s got a good while to rot down.

[@rileyw7162]

Hi George! Are the waggies better growers in pots vs fortunei? I have a couple of the latter and they are growing but very slowly. I also have a very sunny patio which is not optimal for fortunei.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, they're potentially better in that they're maybe slightly slower and already have a bonsai type look so when there growth is stunted it'll suit them more. In all honesty though, while you can grow them in pots, if you're looking for something long term and more suited to a sunny patio, I'd probably go for Chamaerops humilis 'Cerifera' or 'Vulcano'. Even slower but very tough and more drought resistant too.

[@rileyw7162]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden thank you sir!

[@amandahuby871]

I have a hot sunny border what do you suggest ?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

I'd definitely make Chamaerops humilis a feature with some nice Phormiums too then there's loads of options for colour, big leaves, grasses or whatever kind of overall look you want to go for!

[@jeffgilligan2004]

Strangely, one of the fronds on the Waggy are drooping...

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

I wouldn't worry about one or two drooping, especially as they get older but as a general rule they're definitely stiffer and more wind resistant than fortunei.

[@abdulrazzak9199]

I’m looking for a livistona chinensis the Chinese palm at the moment I can’t find it anywhere

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Abdul, it could be worth getting in touch with The Palm Tree Company to see if they are getting any in during spring, they'd probably be my best guess. They seem to stock a decent range of more unusual palms.

[@abdulrazzak9199]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden hi I tried with palm tree company they haven’t got it at the moment

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@abdulrazzak9199 Did they say if they are getting stock in this spring?

[@abdulrazzak9199]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden hi I gave my email they will notify me when in stock in the meantime I ordered a trachycarpus fortuni I’m obsessed with tropical plants ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@abdulrazzak9199 Nice one. Fantastic, I’m sure it’ll grow well for you 😃