Silver Repens

[Jcalvin]

I had a business  trip to Palm City, Florida this week. Most of the time my business trips are in the north, so this was an excellent opportunity to look at some palms and tropicals. I decided to drive down from my house because it was only a 5 hour drive, and I wanted to stop and look at some nurseries on the way back. 

 

I noticed a lot of silver repens while I was down there. 50% of the palmettos were green, and the other 50% were silvers. On the way back home,  I noticed more greens and the less silvers. Once I got to Daytona, it was about 80% green and 20% silver ratio along I-95

 

My question is, is the silver a totally separate species than the green? Or is it the same species but a different variant. Here in Georgia, I’ve seen a couple saw palmettos that show the silver variant. You won’t see them unless you look. 

It’s hard to tell by the pictures, because they’re not side by side with the green saw palmetto. And, they’re taken at a distance. The first picture is a group along side the highway in between Folkston, Ga and Nahunta, Ga. The second picture is at my Grandpa’s in Hortense, Ga (near Jesup/Brunswick). I was hunting in my stand and saw this one. Sorry for the picture quality. They aren’t as “silvery” as some of the silvers in south Florida, but they’re definitely not as green as the green serenoa repens. 

Edited January 31, 2020 by Jcalvin

[Jcalvin]

Here are some green serenoa repens at my Grandpa’s. 

 

[NOT A TA]

From Palmpedia:

"The variety sericea, silver Saw Palmetto, is recognized by some authorities and has beautiful silver leaves."

Pic of one of my seed sources. There's more green to the right.

[Neil C]

The silver and green are both the same species Serenoa repens, it's just like the silver and green you get with Chamaerops and Bismarckia. There may be others as well.

Regards Neil

[Neil C]

The plants shown in this video are amazing both for the size and colour!

 

[Jcalvin]

If it was just the salt air that caused the variation, why do we only see the variation up to north central Florida. Is it a mixture of sustained warmth and salinity? 

I’ve heard that there are a huge grouping of silvers on Cumberland Island, Ga, near Saint Mary’s, but I haven’t seen verification of any kind. 

[Dartolution]

Well... This is next on my life to get hahaha! Where can I get some?

[Estlander]

1 hour ago, Dartolution said:

Well... This is next on my life to get hahaha! Where can I get some?

That same Nursery in Panama City Beach you already know about has them. 

[Steve in Florida]

7 hours ago, Jcalvin said:

If it was just the salt air that caused the variation, why do we only see the variation up to north central Florida. Is it a mixture of sustained warmth and salinity? 

I’ve heard that there are a huge grouping of silvers on Cumberland Island, Ga, near Saint Mary’s, but I haven’t seen verification of any kind. 

It's much more likely that the development of wax on the leaves is an adaptation to drought and winter desiccation.

[Dartolution]

12 hours ago, Estlander said:

That same Nursery in Panama City Beach you already know about has them. 

Hahaha @Estlander thanks. Looks like I need to make a Saturday road trip before long.

[Jcalvin]

Found these down the road from my Mom and Dad’s. We live about 25 minutes from the Florida line, and about 20 minutes from the coast. There has said to have been a population of silver repens in Saint Mary’s, Ga.  That’s right down the toad from us. 

 

Edited April 4, 2020 by Jcalvin

[JLeVert]

Silver Serenoa (Hobe Sound type) growing successfully in Augusta, GA for 10+ years.

[Jcalvin]

45 minutes ago, JLeVert said:

Silver Serenoa (Hobe Sound type) growing successfully in Augusta, GA for 10+ years.

That’s a beautiful palm. I was fortunate enough to that area when I took a business trip down to Stuart, Fl. 

I’m trying to document the silvers growing wild.

Always heard these were just Middle and south Florida palms, with a population on Saint Mary’s and some saying a wild population is growing in Middle Georgia somewhere. But, I haven’t seen any pictures of these wild populations yet.  

Edited April 5, 2020 by Jcalvin

[Steve in Florida]

I've seen the 'silver' ones in central Georgia.  They don't have nearly as much wax on the leaves as the better silver ones found in Florida.

[Jubaea_James760]

could this be a silver one I have? I bought it as Serenoa Repens (blue). In person & at certain angles it has a fair amount of powdery silver to it.