Sabal minor, underground trunk.

[Steve Mac]

I never really understood how a palm could grow an underground trunk, until I re potted a bunch of seedlings. Now I can see how it does it. The roots are not underneath on the bottom of the trunk. A couple were doubles too, I don't know how common that is. Probably quite common since I got two.

The double trunked.

  Probably posted in the wrong section, but they were in pots. :-)

[Aleksandr]

Nice and helpful pictures !

[hbernstein]

Wait until it gets bigger and the trunk turns woody!

[Aleksandr]

How old are this seedlings Steve ?

[tjwalters]

These have sensitive roots and are not fond of disturbance (do not transplant well).  I hope they survive your illustrative photos.  Here's a large one I had to relocate many years ago.  It did not survive
.

[Fusca]

On 4/17/2022 at 3:03 AM, Steve Mac said:

I never really understood how a palm could grow an underground trunk, until I re potted a bunch of seedlings. Now I can see how it does it. The roots are not underneath on the bottom of the trunk. A couple were doubles too, I don't know how common that is. Probably quite common since I got two.

The double trunked.

Steve,

Nice pics.  I'm not sure if this is the case with yours but I had a Sabal 'Riverside' in the ground that experienced some issue with the original growing point and it started a new one (dweezle).  All new growth came through the second growing point and the original remained green for several months (I think over a year) before dying off.  Hope all's well down under!

Jon

https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/57505-new-growing-point/

 

Edited April 19, 2022 by Fusca

[GoatLockerGuns]

57 minutes ago, Fusca said:

I had a Sabal 'Riverside' in the ground that experienced some issue with the original growing point and it started a new one (dweezle).  All new growth came through the second growing point and the original remained green for several months (I think over a year) before dying off.

I experienced the same thing with a juvenile Phoenix dactylifera once.  The old growing point experienced some type of trauma, and a new spear/strap leaf started growing at a 45^o angle from the main stem.  The old growth eventually died off.  I currently have a few Sabal minor planted around the property that appear as "clumps."  I honestly do not know if another seed germinated right next to the main palm, or there is some sort of "suckering" effect going on.

[Steve Mac]

On 4/19/2022 at 12:20 AM, Aleksandr said:

How old are this seedlings Steve ?

Aleks, to be more accurate, I'll have to get back to you on that. But for starters, they did not germinate fast or grow fast for me,  I'm thinking a couple of years but I will check and try to be more specific.

[Aleksandr]

Ok thank You Steve!

[Steve Mac]

On 4/19/2022 at 1:47 AM, tjwalters said:

I hope they survive your illustrative photos.

Ooooow,  They were all in a neglected shallow pot for a year or so and I did just rip them apart and shake them around a lot to make them photogenic.

But we have a saying down under,  'She'll be all right mate.'  And do you know what?,  it usually isn't. 

But I'm still optimistic, I'll let you know. I only grew them for fun and to give away. Free pick-up, about a dozen of them for any lucky local.  Thanks for the tip Tom, I'll be more careful next time.  Steve.

[Steve Mac]

12 hours ago, Fusca said:

some issue with the original growing point

Hi Jon, Looking at the two pics of the two doubles, it does not seem like a growing point issue to me, unless it was very early in the growing cycle. But you may be right.

Thanks for your input. Cheers Steve.

[tjwalters]

6 hours ago, Steve Mac said:

Hi Jon, Looking at the two pics of the two doubles, it does not seem like a growing point issue to me, unless it was very early in the growing cycle. But you may be right.

Thanks for your input. Cheers Steve.

I think the original growth point was the one on the right.  The "heel" is still visible there.  When the issue developed, the new growth point popped out on the left.  The first leaf on the left is quite deformed, and the newest leaf is still showing some deformities.  At some point subsequent leaves will be normal.  I've seen this several times with young Trachycarpus palms.

[Steve Mac]

On 4/19/2022 at 12:20 AM, Aleksandr said:

How old are this seedlings Steve ?

About 18 months, @Aleksandr.

[Steve Mac]

Well 2 months later and they still seem ok despite my rough treatment of them. I didn't have enough pots to do them separately but I had to get them out of the one community pot.