Sabal etonia Slug

[ahosey01]

I have a small Sabal etonia purchased from Jungle Music as a liner.

This thing is a slug.  It had 3 tiny strap leaves when I first planted it.  It now has 5 strap leaves nearly 10 months later.  It looks great - it has a deep, green color, has no issues with the desert sun or heat, receives plenty of water and is in a good, well-draining soil.  For what it's worth, near as I can tell, it's happy as a clam.  Just not moving one bit!

Am I going to be 63 by the time this thing is an adult?!

Edited August 31, 2021 by ahosey01

[Swolte]

So you had the poor thing shipped all the way from Cali with only three strap leaves, immediately transplanted into the ground right before winter, whilst exposed to the elements, bugs and whatnot, and you're complaining it nearly doubled in leaves its first growing season?!  

[GregVirginia7]

Well...if you’re 25, that might be a little optimistic...just kidding...... I am laughing, though because I’ve done nothing but complain about my Sabal McCurtain (In-ground 2017) and Brazoria (in-ground 2015) but once I started watering them on a regular basis this summer, all hell broke loose...each having been in-ground for several years helped, too...but it looks like you’ve got the watering covered. If I’ve learned anything about Sabals, it’s that they spend a lot of time setting that tap root/trunk, but once that’s established, you’ll see results. My McCurtain got its first adult frond this summer! Thought it would never happen...

[Jimhardy]

They also are notoriously slow when young and speed up when/if they ever get adult leaves.

[ahosey01]

49 minutes ago, Swolte said:

So you had the poor thing shipped all the way from Cali with only three strap leaves, immediately transplanted into the ground right before winter, whilst exposed to the elements, bugs and whatnot, and you're complaining it nearly doubled in leaves its first growing season?!  

Yes, you have characterized the sequence of events 100% correctly.

[teddytn]

I’ve got a young etonia as well. Definitely very slow. Weird growth habit vs. every other Sabal I have. Seems to have went from the flat strap leave phase, straight to split v leaves too early. Not that something is wrong, just different. Used to seeing flat strap leaves, then cupped strap leaves that will start to split, then more palmate fan leaves.