How in the world did this palmetto get here??

[NCFM 473]

I found this growing at Well-Spring Retirement Community in Greensboro, NC.  My first thought was that a resident must’ve planted it - but it’s in a weird location (full shade behind some bushes). I spoke to the head horticulturist and he said it just came up volunteer and has been growing there for several years.  He believes there must’ve been palmetto seed in a load of mulch they put out.  Either way, definitely pretty cool to see one popping up this far from its native range. 
 

[knikfar 269]

29 minutes ago, NCFM said:

I found this growing at Well-Spring Retirement Community in Greensboro, NC.  My first thought was that a resident must’ve planted it - but it’s in a weird location (full shade behind some bushes). I spoke to the head horticulturist and he said it just came up volunteer and has been growing there for several years.  He believes there must’ve been palmetto seed in a load of mulch they put out.  Either way, definitely pretty cool to see one popping up this far from its native range. 
 

If its a sabal minor, they seed and spread like crazy here in Raleigh. It wouldn't surprise me if a bird pooped out some seeds in that location and up the palm went. 

[NCFM 473]

2 hours ago, knikfar said:

If its a sabal minor, they seed and spread like crazy here in Raleigh. It wouldn't surprise me if a bird pooped out some seeds in that location and up the palm went. 

Those long petioles make me think it’s Sabal palmetto but I could be wrong.  Sabal minor naturalizes in Greensboro too and is now growing wild in several local parks:

https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/65878-more-naturalized-sabal-minor-and-needle-palm-in-greensboro-nc/

[tjwalters 340]

2 hours ago, NCFM said:

Those long petioles make me think it’s Sabal palmetto but I could be wrong.  Sabal minor naturalizes in Greensboro too and is now growing wild in several local parks:

https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/65878-more-naturalized-sabal-minor-and-needle-palm-in-greensboro-nc/

That deep center split makes me think S. minor.  The long petioles could be due to the full-shade location.

[NCFM 473]

1 hour ago, tjwalters said:

That deep center split makes me think S. minor.  The long petioles could be due to the full-shade location.

Hmm good point.  I might have to go back and get some more close up pictures

[Manalto 752]

Nice to see palms naturalizing in NC. Sabals seem to like to sprout against walls, where I suppose trapped moisture aids germination and radiant heat offers protection. I tend to snap photos of these intrepid volunteers when I spot them. I guess I like the uncluttered setting. Here's my latest:

Edited May 11 by Manalto

[Palmy Pal 124]

Yeah it’s not too crazy. Sabal Palmetto and Sabal Minor are both native to NC and minor can be found in the wild as far as Charlotte maybe farther so I can see how it would be easy for palmettos to spread farther inland. 

[teddytn 1,567]

I hope they let it do it’s thing and don’t dig it up.

[NCFM 473]

1 hour ago, Palmy Pal said:

Yeah it’s not too crazy. Sabal Palmetto and Sabal Minor are both native to NC and minor can be found in the wild as far as Charlotte maybe farther so I can see how it would be easy for palmettos to spread farther inland. 

I was under the assumption that it was sabal palmetto which would be much more "crazy" since Greensboro is far inland - almost 200 miles from their natural range.  And,  there are no other palms on the Well-Spring campus for it to have naturalized from

[PalmatierMeg 7,422]

I'm leaning toward S. minor, which has flatter, i.e., less costapalmate, leaves than palmetto. I also see a distinct blue tint to those leaves, Palmettos are usually greener.

[Bigfish 354]

Looks like young Sabal palmetto to me.