Found Native Sabal Palmetto In North Carolina on Google Maps!

[PalmTreeDude]

I looked on Google Maps and in the islands to the west of Bald Head Island, N.C. you can see the Sabal palmetto's crowns sticking over the trees! I am glad they are where they are, in a marshy area where people don't want to be. So they are in a good spot. 

 

[Xerarch]

Nice find!

[Neil C]

Wow, you are like a palm peeping tom! 

Regards Neil

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

This area looks to have the same USDA zone rating as the Dallas/Ft. Worth area; 14.5F, warm 8A.

[Dave-Vero]

Nice.

[Joe NC]

Look at Battery Island just to the north (and west) of Bald Head.  It's between Southport and Bald Head.  On that island there is one lone large palmetto that sticks above the surrounding trees.  If the Bald Head population of S. palmettos are the northernmost native palmettos in existence, then this particular palm is likely the northern most individual wild native palmetto.  Every time I boat past it, it makes me wonder.  

[Dave-Vero]

Once in a while, Bing Maps has better imagery than Google; also, Google Earth's library of past images can sometimes be handy (as in looking at beaches under different surf conditions)

[Zeeth]

41 minutes ago, Joe NC said:

Look at Battery Island just to the north (and west) of Bald Head.  It's between Southport and Bald Head.  On that island there is one lone large palmetto that sticks above the surrounding trees.  If the Bald Head population of S. palmettos are the northernmost native palmettos in existence, then this particular palm is likely the northern most individual wild native palmetto.  Every time I boat past it, it makes me wonder.  

Ever try getting seeds from it?

[Mr.SamuraiSword]

Lol I am always looking for wild palms around that area.  there are even some near the beaches in that area

[Mr.SamuraiSword]

On 2/1/2017, 8:24:47, Joe NC said:

Look at Battery Island just to the north (and west) of Bald Head.  It's between Southport and Bald Head.  On that island there is one lone large palmetto that sticks above the surrounding trees.  If the Bald Head population of S. palmettos are the northernmost native palmettos in existence, then this particular palm is likely the northern most individual wild native palmetto.  Every time I boat past it, it makes me wonder.  

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Battery+Island/@33.9112667,-78.0098338,116m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x8900aa1ad0bf12f9:0x264c24ad1ae6cb88!8m2!3d33.909341!4d-78.0105449  found it

 

[VA Jeff]

I have a descendent of a Bald Head ISland palmetto in my yard.  It's grown unprotected for about 10 years on the border of zones 8/7 west of the Chesapeake Bay.  It isn't trunked yet, because it grows slowly genetically and because it's under a sweetgum tree.  Usually shows no damage.  Mild damage at 2 F a few years ago.  I've been to Bald Head Island before.  It really looks like a rich part of Florida, without the cars.

 

[Joe NC]

On 2/4/2017, 7:01:53, Mr.SamuraiSword said:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Battery+Island/@33.9112667,-78.0098338,116m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x8900aa1ad0bf12f9:0x264c24ad1ae6cb88!8m2!3d33.909341!4d-78.0105449  found it

 

I was just there on foot today.  Definitely a wild palm, definitely old.  The trunk at ground level is massive. No seeds to be found on this palm, and the ground underneath was recently over washed by the river so there was no leaf litter or seeds there either. 

 T

There was a significant amount mud between the nice sandy beach and that palm...

Up close it is real stout.  All the native BHI palmettos are self cleaning too, no boots.

[PalmTreeDude]

2 hours ago, Joe NC said:

I was just there on foot today.  Definitely a wild palm, definitely old.  The trunk at ground level is massive. No seeds to be found on this palm, and the ground underneath was recently over washed by the river so there was no leaf litter or seeds there either. 

 T

There was a significant amount mud between the nice sandy beach and that palm...

Up close it is real stout.  All the native BHI palmettos are self cleaning too, no boots.

That looks beautiful! They look as good as they do in South Carolina. I have noticed they have been described as more stout on Bald Head Island. They always seem to look different in their different habitats. On Hikton Head Island they generally grow with a little bit slimmer trunk, they may or may not keep their boots, and their fronds are really stretched. 

[PalmTreeDude]

Here are Hilton Head palmettos.

 

Edited February 7, 2017 by PalmTreeDude

[Joe NC]

A couple more photos of the BHI palms you found on Google Earth in their habitat.

 

View of the undeveloped marsh islands that were shown earlier in the post via Google Earth.

Up on one of the taller islands

On the windy exposed edge of a marsh island.

 

I grabbed some fresh seed while I was here.  If anybody here is dying to grow some BHI ecotype palmetto, send me a PM.  Trades are great, but I'm cool with just sending out some in the mail too.  

[Patrick]

@PalmTreeDude,

 

Good find! It may help you- if you didn't already know- Bing maps has an excellent birds-eye view in a lot of areas it may make your searching a little easier with the different angle. For your peeping pleasure

 

Edit: I take it back- resolution is lousy in that area. Sometimes it's good....

 

[DCA_Palm_Fan]

LOL!  I thought I was the only one that did that on google maps! Hahaha.  Nice find. 

[Xerarch]

On 2/7/2017, 2:17:56, Patrick said:

@PalmTreeDude,

 

Good find! It may help you- if you didn't already know- Bing maps has an excellent birds-eye view in a lot of areas it may make your searching a little easier with the different angle. For your peeping pleasure

 

Edit: I take it back- resolution is lousy in that area. Sometimes it's good....

 

I like to refer to bing maps too, sometimes you can find a more updated street view, sometimes the bird's eye view is useful, lol and sometimes it's garbage, but it's worthwhile to compare against google. 

[climate change virginia]

cool most of the palmettos I see in nc are ugly they are beat up looking and thin not as poofy as the ones in the south

[Mr.SamuraiSword]

On 1/4/2021 at 8:12 AM, climate change virginia said:

cool most of the palmettos I see in nc are ugly they are beat up looking and thin not as poofy as the ones in the south

All depends on what part of the state you are in, Southern coastal regions are bulletproof for Palmetto, plenty of good Carolina Metters in Willmington, Beaufort, Fayetteville, etc.  OBX region they tend to be planted in areas with too much salt and wind exposure though plenty of good full headed ones exist in areas away from the beachfront and Greenville and west to Raleigh they are more marginal and take damage in worse winters.  When cared for and sited properly they can do well though.

Kitty Hawk

e

Corolla

Raleigh

Lower outer banks,

[Alex High]

5 minutes ago, Mr.SamuraiSword said:

All depends on what part of the state you are in, Southern coastal regions are bulletproof for Palmetto, plenty of good Carolina Metters in Willmington, Beaufort, Fayetteville, etc.  OBX region they tend to be planted in areas with too much salt and wind exposure though plenty of good full headed ones exist in areas away from the beachfront and Greenville and west to Raleigh they are more marginal and take damage in worse winters.  When cared for and sited properly they can do well though.

Kitty Hawk

e

Corolla

Raleigh

Lower outer banks,

Nice pics, thanks for sharing! Yeah coastal NC has some beautiful full-crown Sabal palmetto, but this just goes to show that there are some nice big ones further inland. Glad to see them thriving there. Thanks again and take care!

PalmsUSA