anyone growing sabal sp. big floppy?

[Josh-O]

Is anyone growing or know anything about this hybrid???

I was told this is a sabal texana cross with sabal riverside. Texana X Riverside

I currently don't have any pictures of the mother plant I get seed from but will post when I drive over to get more seed. The leaves are huge but flop over to one side giving it a very unusual look to it. Hence the name Sabal Sp. Big Floppy.

The seedlings I have germinated have a really nice bluish-white coloration. 

I posted some for sale on  palm talk and they have sold like hotcakes. I still have some left for sale..

 

[Sabal Steve]

1 hour ago, Josh-O said:

Is anyone growing or know anything about this hybrid???

I was told this is a sabal texana cross with sabal riverside. Texana X Riverside

I currently don't have any pictures of the mother plant I get seed from but will post when I drive over to get more seed. The leaves are huge but flop over to one side giving it a very unusual look to it. Hence the name Sabal Sp. Big Floppy.

The seedlings I have germinated have a really nice bluish-white coloration. 

I posted some for sale on  palm talk and they have sold like hotcakes. I still have some left for sale..

 

Hey Josh.  There is a good article about Sabals by Don Hodel in PSSC journal #190, where it was suggested that "Big Floppy" had S. maritima as one of the parents.  I've always been a little confused with "Riverside".  It's different though, from Mexicana (Texana) though, in the sparce crown, and of course the floppy leaves.  But yes, it could definitely have some of both in it.  Because of the flowering cycles, it has been suggested that hybridization within Sabals is common, but the fact that they are said to have Potassium deficiencies, perhaps there are some strange genetics.  There's a possibly "Big Floppy" in Palm Canyon, and I'd post a photo, but it's still on my camera.  Cool palm.  I wonder if one day it will be listed as a recognized species.

[Sabal Steve]

Here's an excerpt: 

 

"When I began my Sabal investigations this past winter I noticed a somewhat distinctive species at the Fullerton Arboretum, The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, The Huntington, Elysian Park, and Ralph Velez’s garden in Westminster that I referred to as Sabal ‘Big Floppy’ (which see under “Other Entities”) because it is distinctive in its large, coarse, leaf blades with a glaucous bloom and wide, soft, exceedingly droopy or floppy segment tips. It is a rather handsome plant that is somewhat similar in leaf to plants of Sabal maritima at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden that were collected in Jamaica, thus I feel that ‘Big Floppy’ may be a hybrid, with Sabal maritima as one of its parents."

[Ben in Norcal]

Having just got some of these seeds from Josh - I'd love to see pics of an adult plant!

[Josh-O]

10 hours ago, Sabal Steve said:

Here's an excerpt: 

 

"When I began my Sabal investigations this past winter I noticed a somewhat distinctive species at the Fullerton Arboretum, The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, The Huntington, Elysian Park, and Ralph Velez’s garden in Westminster that I referred to as Sabal ‘Big Floppy’ (which see under “Other Entities”) because it is distinctive in its large, coarse, leaf blades with a glaucous bloom and wide, soft, exceedingly droopy or floppy segment tips. It is a rather handsome plant that is somewhat similar in leaf to plants of Sabal maritima at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden that were collected in Jamaica, thus I feel that ‘Big Floppy’ may be a hybrid, with Sabal maritima as one of its parents."

Steve, you da man!!!

thanks for this info its very helpful. Sabal Maritima makes perfect sense. I'm glad this palm is growing in other areas and is being called Sp. big floppy. I'm not real savvy on ID'ing sabal species but when I saw this beauty I knew it was something special and noticeably different. 

 

I think this is a home run plant to grow in the garden if you have room.

[Sabal Steve]

Sabal maritima is one of my favorites.  It's a monster, with whitish petiole bases.  I planted one in an untended area across the street, and it seems to do just fine.  From maybe 18" tall to 5' in a little more than a year.  Minimal water, but would probably be quite a bit faster with care.

[Josh-O]

5 hours ago, Sabal Steve said:

Sabal maritima is one of my favorites.  It's a monster, with whitish petiole bases.  I planted one in an untended area across the street, and it seems to do just fine.  From maybe 18" tall to 5' in a little more than a year.  Minimal water, but would probably be quite a bit faster with care.

that's some good growth rate if you ask me