Sabinaria magnifica seems to like my general climate and are growing well.

I am tempted to put them in the ground but before taking the plunge I wanted to ask everyone else about their experiences with this palm.

Has anyone else put them in the ground?  So far I have been growing this under a net but I was wondering if it can take direct sun

I too am curious if they can handle some sun. I have mine in very bright shade and the spot I want to plant it in gets morning sun and then filtered sun the rest of the day.

Gene,

Here's the photo I took of you with your largest Sabinaria exactly a year ago, and I was very impressed at the time by how large it was. Not surprisingly it's still doing very nicely. I planted two smaller ones myself about 18 months ago, or so. I have no photos at hand, but they are MUCH smaller than yours, and though healthy and growing they are SLOW. I am sure that heat is a major factor, and you certainly have more of that - year round - than most of us!

Bo-Göran

That’s interesting, I would have thought they would be growing like weeds in Hawaii. Here in florida they are doing very well. They are much faster than Itaya. I don’t have any pictures on hand but all of mine are 2yo and in 3g containers.

Well based on inputs from people in some Facebook Groups I decided to place 3 of these guys in sunnier spots.  Two are in prime spots that get direct morning sun and a lot of ambient light for the rest of the day.

 

Another one get a lot of ambient light and about a couple of hours of direct light at around noon.

The rest will remain in the shade house.

 

We'll see how they perform after 6 months

59 minutes ago, Gbarce said:

Well based on inputs from people in some Facebook Groups I decided to place 3 of these guys in sunnier spots.  Two are in prime spots that get direct morning sun and a lot of ambient light for the rest of the day.

 

Another one get a lot of ambient light and about a couple of hours of direct light at around noon.

The rest will remain in the shade house.

 

We'll see how they perform after 6 months

Just curious, why the trash can "pots"? Do they need deep containers?

Not really. 

I used them because they were large and they were cheap. I Wanted give them the largest possible containers so that I wouldn't need to repot them too many times.

 And most importantly they are easy to break open when I repot/replant-- less danger of damaging the roots

Those are 100 liter tubs and are about 3 feet tall -- just to give you an idea of the scale of the plant

20 minutes ago, Gbarce said:

Not really. 

I used them because they were large and they were cheap. I Wanted give them the largest possible containers so that I wouldn't need to repot them too many times.

 And most importantly they are easy to break open when I repot/replant-- less danger of damaging the roots

Those are 100 liter tubs and are about 3 feet tall -- just to give you an idea of the scale of the plant

Great idea!!

We planted one out last spring here at Leu Gardens (Orlando, central Florida). It is a bright shady protected location and tolerated low 30sF last month with no damage yet.

 

Hi Gene, your S. magnifica  are looking great!  You have a good climate to plant them out.  Putting them in an oversized container, may sound like a good idea, but I would not recommend it.  Placing a small, slow growing palm in a large container and leaving it there for many years, will produce compacted soil as the organics break down.  Compacted soil is a contributor to chlorotic plants and don't allow the roots to breath, among other things.  When you try pulling it out of that oversized container, lots of roots are going to snap, which will not be good.  I would recommend always bumping up to next size container with fresh potting soil and let them root out, then bump up again when ready (good root ball).  Here are a few 3 gal ones that I have in central Florida.  They seem like a pretty tough palm and are taking about 4 hrs of Sun at this size, probably will take more.  I take them inside if it gets below 45f (7C), just because I do not want to risk losing them.  They have pretty thick leaves, which I think may help them from damping off when young.  Looks like these will have a future when everyone's start seeding, and more seed are distributed.

I haven't had any problems growing my palms in these large containers so far.  I usually grow the large species like carpoxylons, copernicias, dypsis and leave them there for years.  They usually grow faster than even their siblings that I put in the ground at the same age -- I think it's because the roots have unrestricted space to grow, the fertilizer I give them is contained within the pots where their roots are sure to find them and I think they get more amount of heat because the side of the large pots also get exposed to the sun.

I'll watch out for soil compacting but so far I haven't encountered it as an issue.  I guess I the pumice and perlite I add helps or the large growing species I plant can take compacted soil -- either way, like I said it hasn't been an issue yet.

As for the final transplant - I hardly break any roots at all and we always get the rootball whole.  The reason that I use these kinds of tubs, besides the size and the low cost is that the plastic is pretty brittle and easy to slice.  I never try to save these pots to be used at another time -- we slice the bottom off, put the whole thing in the hole, then we slice the side of the tub and easily slide the whole thing off-- leaving the entire rootball ( and slightly compacted soil) in the new planting hole.  Then we just add back the soil.  It works pretty well for me.

Here's one of mine.  This is one is doing a little better than the other one that's still in the garden.  I had a third, but that one didn't make it.  I've put mulch around the other one that's still alive, and in a few months I'll see whether that has made any noticeable difference.

 

16 hours ago, Justin said:

Here's one of mine.  This is one is doing a little better than the other one that's still in the garden.  I had a third, but that one didn't make it.  I've put mulch around the other one that's still alive, and in a few months I'll see whether that has made any noticeable difference.

Do you know what did your third one in?

On 2/10/2018, 4:32:21, Scott Cohen said:

That’s interesting, I would have thought they would be growing like weeds in Hawaii. Here in florida they are doing very well. They are much faster than Itaya. I don’t have any pictures on hand but all of mine are 2yo and in 3g containers.

Unfortunately my Itaya croaked just after I got it in the ground...I guess it didn't like were I planted it. I've had two S. magnificas it pots for 8 months and one is looking bad (turning brown...over watering?); but the other seems OK for now. I have them in a south facing loggia so they get some sun but not all day. Should I move them completely out of the sun?

My first one croaked after I repotted it to a larger container. I hate to admit that maybe I didn't make sure the new potting media was surrounding the roots good enough and perhaps that's what did it in. It was from Floribunda (and perfectly healthy for over a year while with me) and I didn't remove the black lava rocks before reporting with a different super quick draining media, then I only gently watered it in with rain water instead of the pressure of the garden hose on shower, as I normally do. Ughhh so stupid!

The one below is my second try   I've only had it for a few months. It had a beautiful start thanks to @CB Lisa 

looks like it's starting to go bifid

 

12 hours ago, Gbarce said:

looks like it's starting to go bifid

 

YEAAAAAA!!! 

2½ years old, pushing leaf #6 going bifid:

1 hour ago, Pal Meir said:

2½ years old, pushing leaf #6 going bifid:

I was hoping you'd chime in! 

I thought mine was cursed as the second and third leaves were chewed off by some critter, but it's managed to power on with recent leaves becoming wider and wider, but no bifid leaf as of yet. 

Tim

On 3/2/2018, 4:30:08, realarch said:

I thought mine was cursed as the second and third leaves were chewed off by some critter, but it's managed to power on with recent leaves becoming wider and wider, but no bifid leaf as of yet. 

Tim

Those are some gorgeous fatty leaves 

Leaf #6 has split: 

Oh all of these are gorgeous and I am jealous!

I have not been able to try any of these here in PR. Still on my wish list for sure!

I am glad they seem to be doing well for so many people.

On 23-4-2018 19:01:55, Pal Meir said:

Leaf #6 has split: 

It appears I'm not very lucky with these palms. I noticed there was little to no growth after this plant came back to Amsterdam to meet up with its other sibbling. Now it starts to become clear why.

There ís growth, but at a very different spot than expected. The new spear must have somehow gotten obstructed and is forcing its way out from the side. It will take years before this plant looks like its majestic self again

1 hour ago, Kai said:

It appears I'm not very lucky with these palms. I noticed there was little to no growth after this plant came back to Amsterdam to meet up with its other sibbling. Now it starts to become clear why.

There ís growth, but at a very different spot than expected. The new spear must have somehow gotten obstructed and is forcing its way out from the side. It will take years before this plant looks like its majestic self again

Oooops … 

I don’t know if this could help … 

On 5-8-2018 11:23:51, Pal Meir said:

Oooops … 

I don’t know if this could help … 

Think you are right Pal. These leaves are leading the water true the middle in forest too. Mine gets a shower 2 x a week and pushing second leaf since april this year

Hello everyone. Any pictures available from the Sabbies which are placed in more direct sunlight?

Seems that humidity is not that important for growing indoors anyway

46 minutes ago, Jos Mannaart said:

Hello everyone. Any pictures available from the Sabbies which are placed in more direct sunlight?

Seems that humidity is not that important for growing indoors anyway

Too much humidity indoors during the dark seasons can be counterproductive for most palm spp. (Mould etc. …)

 

On 5.8.2018, 10:17:19, Kai said:

It appears I'm not very lucky with these palms. I noticed there was little to no growth after this plant came back to Amsterdam to meet up with its other sibbling. Now it starts to become clear why.

There ís growth, but at a very different spot than expected. The new spear must have somehow gotten obstructed and is forcing its way out from the side. It will take years before this plant looks like its majestic self again

And how does it do now? What happened to the latest leaf?

 

Mine gets watered daily with rain water, or distilled water if I'm out of rain water. Misted every other, or every 3 days. It likes plenty of organic material in the potting media, so Kai, I'd add a bit of potting soil.

Currently at work, so can't get a better pic at the moment. I took this pic this past Saturday when I had to move all my potted palms inside or against the house for a couple nights going into the low 40s. Sabbie is on the far right in the pic, behind the Salacca multiflora. I bring it indoors on nights going below mid-50s because we are currently unsure of what lows it can withstand and I don't want mine to be the guinea pig! 

Wow! Your indoor botanical garden is awesome. God help anyone who’d dares even touch one of those pots.

Tim

My Sabinara has been in the ground for about 9 months. I have it in bright morning light and then filtered the rest of the day. I am surprised about the comm3nts suggesting it can take direct sun light. I didn't know that was possible. Thanks for the info! Does anyone else have experience with giving this plant direct sun and 

 

On 24-12-2018 14:02:43, Pal Meir said:

Too much humidity indoors during the dark seasons can be counterproductive for most palm spp. (Mould etc. …)

 

And how does it do now? What happened to the latest leaf?

 

The plant is still not moving... The leaf that came out sideways has dried up and there's still no sign of new growth. The leafs that are on still appear healthy.

About 2 weeks ago I carefuly cut open the basis of the palm lengthwise with a sharp scalpel to try and give new growth some room to come out. I'm still hoping that because of this the palm will find a way to get a new spear through... Fingers crossed.

15 minutes ago, Kai said:

The plant is still not moving... The leaf that came out sideways has dried up and there's still no sign of new growth. The leafs that are on still appear healthy.

About 2 weeks ago I carefuly cut open the basis of the palm lengthwise with a sharp scalpel to try and give new growth some room to come out. I'm still hoping that because of this the palm will find a way to get a new spear through... Fingers crossed.

?

I had a dry leaf as well and thought it was gone for months. In the hot spring we had in 2018 suddenly it starts to move and turned into a leaf afterall. Dry at the top for 8 cm and dry sidepart also but its there. After that a new spear is coming out and green from the top till so far. About 13 cm now and growing steady even in wintertime. Sabinaria turns out to be very capable to handle real low humidity. Mine is standing right above central heat and leaf is moving from rising warm air from time to time. Sabbie seems to be okay with it. The soil is 50% seramis and 50% pinebar 10-20 mm.  The potting soil i stay very far away from for now. Worked out realy bad for me. Added half a healthy start tablet to fertilize. These tabs also regulate the tap water hardyness. I gave her no mist for last 2 months. Only put her outside few weeks ago when raining cats and dogs for about 15 minutes. Will post picture later.

Thanks for the updates. Hope we get pics from Gbarce after one year in the sun

they don't do well in full morning sun!  They were getting bleached so I moved them to a shadier spot again.  I ll post pictures soon

 

These guys are in the shade house.  the ones i put out in the open couldn't handle direct sun exposure even if it was just morning sun.  They showed signs of bleaching so I moved them to a shadier spot again after about a week.

I guess they are really under story palms

my hand for scale

I even put one in the ground -- finally!

Wow Gene, those are beautiful. I've only got one of those prized palms to dote on.

Tim