Sabal palmetto Lisa Flowers for the First Time!

[PalmatierMeg]

About six weeks ago I got a most unexpected surprise: my largest Sabal palmetto Lisa is flowering and setting fruit for the first time. I got it as a most generous gift from a fellow PT-er in 2008 as a 1-2 strap leaf seedling. It's been growing in my Caribbean front garden since 2009. Even a few months ago I was assured it would need 5+' of trunk before it would flower so I resigned myself to a further 4-5' year wait. I guess my palm had other ideas. So, I know some palms don't produce fertile seeds on their first bloom. Are Sabals among those or made of hardier stuff? Anyway, today I took the following photos before storms moved in.

Sabal palmetto Lisa, Cape Coral, FL

[Neil C]

Wow, great looking palm! Those seeds look quite well developed so hopefully you will get some viable seed.

Regards Neil

[Palmcycasnut]

Awesome! The seedlings from seeds i received from you almost 2 years ago are looking good but still hard to tell if they are 'lisa' yet. 

[Palmaceae]

Awesome Meg!

[Jdiaz31089]

Very cool! That palm looks perfectly grown. 

Edited July 12, 2017 by Jdiaz31089

[Silas_Sancona]

Congrats Meg, I remember you discussing your frustration with this particular specimen.. Glad to see the wait is paying off.

Hopefully the seed will be fertile.

I remember how lucky i felt with what seed I was able to collect off the Kopsick specimens since some sort of mealy bug was quickly destroying the inflos as seed was developing. Also took out that seasons seed crop on the Sabal  Blackburniana at the park. Seed would get about half way developed before the bugs caused complete,  premature drop. 

[Zifool]

woot great flowering

[tinman10101]

So beautiful Meg! Congrats

Cheers 

Tin 

[GregVirginia7]

Is it advisable to cut new flower stalks off once fully extended if you don't want the palm to waste any energy on fruiting when you don't want to bother with seeds? I ask regarding Sabal minors I have planted in Bethany, Delaware...I'd rather they put energy into roots and leaves...

[PalmatierMeg]

1 hour ago, GregVirginia7 said:

Is it advisable to cut new flower stalks off once fully extended if you don't want the palm to waste any energy on fruiting when you don't want to bother with seeds? I ask regarding Sabal minors I have planted in Bethany, Delaware...I'd rather they put energy into roots and leaves...

Yes, I do that on all my Sabals when I don't want to deal with seeds.