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How in the world did this palmetto get here??


NCFM

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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. 
 

8170C8EB-092E-47A1-AFE5-80CC107FFB76.thumb.jpeg.1f62927fb3646323d3df200f3d97e3fb.jpeg

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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. 
 

8170C8EB-092E-47A1-AFE5-80CC107FFB76.thumb.jpeg.1f62927fb3646323d3df200f3d97e3fb.jpeg

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. 

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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/

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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.

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Tom

Bowie, Maryland, USA - USDA z7a
hardiestpalms.com

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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

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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:

20220430_182347.thumb.jpg.ee62256147252fe0c985f0110904dbb6.jpg

Edited by Manalto
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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. 

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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

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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.

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Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

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