Sabal Row, Cape Coral, FL - November 2018

[PalmatierMeg]

Way back in 2008 I germinated my first palm seeds, including the following species: causiarum, domingensis, palmetto, maritima & mauritiiformis. Sabals are among the easiest palm seeds to germinate and are perfect for beginning germinators. In spring of 2009 I had passels of seedlings and decided I should plant a representative sample of my efforts. At the time, we were in the midst of the Great Recession and Cape Coral had the 2nd highest foreclosure rate in the country and we were surrounded by vacant properties. The closest had been built in 2004 but never lived in. I decided I wanted to grow Sabals to eventually block our view of that abandoned property (which eventually sold in 2010 and is now occupied). So I created "Sabal Row", which is actually not on our property but the vacant lot to the east. Ten years later you can see how those 3-leaf seedlings have grown. Some of them are enormous and many, except for palmettos and mauritiiformis, flower every year. We cut down inflorescences like crazy every spring. One thing I've noticed is that S. palmetto is the smallest, slowest growing of the trunking Sabals I planted. The several in the row are almost petite by comparison to the giants next to them.

I originally had labels for them but those disappeared long ago. Except for the palmettos, I have no idea which is which. I've been told even my mauritiiformis isn't what I thought it was.  If anyone here can tell them apart from these photos, have at it. But you can see that given the right conditions (heat, sun, water, regular fertilizer) Sabals in the ground are not as slow as most people think.

Overall photos of "Sabal Row"

South End: Sabal palmetto, left; Sabal ??, right. Both same age

 

[PalmatierMeg]

This Sabal sp may have the fattest base of the lot: 30"+, including boots.

Size 8 shoe for comparison

A few more photos of other Sabals

[kinzyjr]

Very nice!  I hope a few of the sabals I germinated look that nice in a decade.

[Tracy]

Very nice and seem like they have grown reasonably quickly from 3 leaf starts to those nice seeding specimens you have now.  Regarding the S mauritiiformis, my personal experience is that they aren't as thick as some of the other Sabals and will have that distinctive contrast between the shiny green upper leaves and more blue/green/silver undersides of the leaves.  Not the greatest photo to show the details described as it was shot mid-day with lots of contrasting shadows and bright spots, but I think it's a lovely looking palm.

[PalmatierMeg]

Beautiful palm, Tracy. Mauritiiformis is reputed to be the most beautiful Sabal, unfortunately also the least cold hardy. It's also much larger than S. palmetto, at least in FL.

[jreich85]

That Mauritiiformis looks great. I'm really surprised how big those got in a decade, which is encouraging. It looks like you gave them perfect conditions. I tried a few sabals about five years ago but lost interest due to their slow growth. I may have to reconsider and take another look at them, especially mauritiiformis.

[Silas_Sancona]

Agree w/ Meg,  S. mauritiiformis is one of the most attractive of the Sabals, just a little less tough.. Yours looks great Tracy, i keep waiting for at least one fo my older seedlings to show me something other than strap leaves.. ( perhaps another year or two to go, i think..)

The thread itself is interesting since i like the idea of using palms like Sabal, Copernicia, or even Brahaea, and Bismarcks in a grove-like / natural screen style, or as a sort of divide between sections in a larger garden or property. 

Also came across another reference of a nice looking, younger- aged "Sabal Row"  posted over on Agaveville, in the "Autumn in an Agave Garden" thread. Not sure if the poster also posts here but he included a picture ( Post #11, 3rd picture in that thread) of a Sabal minor variant called "Aurora Curly Leaf" i thought was worth mentioning..