Sabal minor 'Lawrence' from Kansas Survived -16F

[PalmatierMeg]

I've just come upon a lead to a new cold hardy Sabal minor discovered in Lawrence, KS in 2013 where it survived -16F in the ground unprotected. I don't possess it myself and don't plan to get it but it is just put up for sale on a one-time basis by a Seller not belonging to IPS. I can't mention the name in the forum but if you are seriously interested in this Sabal, PM me and I will give you info and a link.

I copied the following info from the listing:

Zones: 6b to 10b, possibly colder

Dormancy: Evergreen

Height: 36" tall

Culture: Sun to Light Shade

Origin: United States

[Allen]

My sabals took 0F like a champ and I regularly see reports of minor taking -5F so I imagine a good leaf natural leaf/snow cover and/or good placement and many minor could take -16F and survive. 

[N8ALLRIGHT]

Thanks meg, figured it out from the zone description you mentioned. So I'm weak and I bought it. It was too much to pass up a zone 6 minor like that. I should be able to hide it from my wife in my other minors

[sashaeffer]

9 hours ago, N8ALLRIGHT said:

Thanks meg, figured it out from the zone description you mentioned. So I'm weak and I bought it. It was too much to pass up a zone 6 minor like that. I should be able to hide it from my wife in my other minors

Hiding new palms from the wife is almost a game now for me. Biggest mistake is getting a Ring doorbell as she can see  them being delivered now

[teddytn]

1 hour ago, sashaeffer said:

Hiding new palms from the wife is almost a game now for me. Biggest mistake is getting a Ring doorbell as she can see  them being delivered now

Glad I’m not the only one! 

[sashaeffer]

8 hours ago, teddytn said:

Glad I’m not the only one! 

Sometimes I would even get money orders to send to sellers so no trace in the checking account.

[teddytn]

17 minutes ago, sashaeffer said:

Sometimes I would even get money orders to send to sellers so no trace in the checking account.

Second day this week palms came in the mail. Me trying to explain why there’s 3 different boxes as she just keeps walking... hahaha. Yeah I think she’s most mad because I used “my” credit card not our checking account....

[N8ALLRIGHT]

I try to schedule delivery for days I know she's at work late.                                  I am a broken man

Good to know I'm not alone

[sashaeffer]

On 5/27/2021 at 9:10 PM, N8ALLRIGHT said:

Thanks meg, figured it out from the zone description you mentioned. So I'm weak and I bought it. It was too much to pass up a zone 6 minor like that. I should be able to hide it from my wife in my other minors

I'm not that far from you(technically) Omaha. Share a picture when you get it. Are you going to protect it at all or see what happens?  Price for palm good, but shipping is expensive from that nursery so can't justify that expense. Plus, I'm running out of places to plant in the ground palm trees here.

[N8ALLRIGHT]

3 hours ago, sashaeffer said:

I'm not that far from you(technically) Omaha. Share a picture when you get it. Are you going to protect it at all or see what happens?  Price for palm good, but shipping is expensive from that nursery so can't justify that expense. Plus, I'm running out of places to plant in the ground palm trees here.

No problem, and I'm not sure where in the ground it's going yet. Last year we put in a pool and landscaping is a work in progress. Since Lawrence is figuratively right down the road I'm probably going to just leaf and mulch it a bit and see what happens.

[Matt N- Dallas]

I’ve had sabal minor ‘McCurtain County’ growing in Kansas City, Missouri z6 since 1997. They get leaf burn during some winters, but have generally thrived & produce seed.  

[KansasPlantFarm-LLC]

Entering this conversation late.... I anm the one who discovered the original plant (not in the wild of course) but growing on the south side of a building in Lawrence, KS. (see first pic)  I can say from personal experience they survive much further north than their native range.  In zone 6a they grow very slow...barely replacing freeze-damaged leaves each year but on a south side of a building they will eventually get big enough to set seed.  And that is the real treat...possibly even more cold hardy genetics. We have been experimenting with these over the last 15 years and Plant Delights Nursery sold some of our seedlings a few years ago as Sabal minor 'Lawrence'.  These have unknown genetics but hardy enough to survive as low as -18F with no mulch on a south side of a building.  Last year in Jan 2024, it even survived an extremely cold spell with a daytime high of -1F...that's offer 48 hours of temperatures under 0F with hard ground freeze.  Update 2025....still very much alive and thriving. We have several for sale here you look up Kansas Plant Farm. I have also seen a large seed-bearing specimen of sabal minor (unknown genetics) in Stillwater OK at the OSU Botanical Gardens. Hope this helps!

[Allen]

13 hours ago, KansasPlantFarm-LLC said:

Entering this conversation late.... I anm the one who discovered the original plant (not in the wild of course) but growing on the south side of a building in Lawrence, KS. (see first pic)  I can say from personal experience they survive much further north than their native range.  In zone 6a they grow very slow...barely replacing freeze-damaged leaves each year but on a south side of a building they will eventually get big enough to set seed.  And that is the real treat...possibly even more cold hardy genetics. We have been experimenting with these over the last 15 years and Plant Delights Nursery sold some of our seedlings a few years ago as Sabal minor 'Lawrence'.  These have unknown genetics but hardy enough to survive as low as -18F with no mulch on a south side of a building.  Last year in Jan 2024, it even survived an extremely cold spell with a daytime high of -1F...that's offer 48 hours of temperatures under 0F with hard ground freeze.  Update 2025....still very much alive and thriving. We have several for sale here you look up Kansas Plant Farm. I have also seen a large seed-bearing specimen of sabal minor (unknown genetics) in Stillwater OK at the OSU Botanical Gardens. Hope this helps!

That's a great survival.  Reality is most any sabal minor will survive extreme cold because the growing point is 1' underground.  Any fronds exposed directly to the air and not covered by snow, etc will be burned under 0F.  

[PAPalmtrees]

15 hours ago, KansasPlantFarm-LLC said:

Entering this conversation late.... I anm the one who discovered the original plant (not in the wild of course) but growing on the south side of a building in Lawrence, KS. (see first pic)  I can say from personal experience they survive much further north than their native range.  In zone 6a they grow very slow...barely replacing freeze-damaged leaves each year but on a south side of a building they will eventually get big enough to set seed.  And that is the real treat...possibly even more cold hardy genetics. We have been experimenting with these over the last 15 years and Plant Delights Nursery sold some of our seedlings a few years ago as Sabal minor 'Lawrence'.  These have unknown genetics but hardy enough to survive as low as -18F with no mulch on a south side of a building.  Last year in Jan 2024, it even survived an extremely cold spell with a daytime high of -1F...that's offer 48 hours of temperatures under 0F with hard ground freeze.  Update 2025....still very much alive and thriving. We have several for sale here you look up Kansas Plant Farm. I have also seen a large seed-bearing specimen of sabal minor (unknown genetics) in Stillwater OK at the OSU Botanical Gardens. Hope this helps!

Hay! i was thinking about buying a McCurtain from you, can you show me a picture how big a 2 gallon one is?

[N8ALLRIGHT]

@KansasPlantFarm-LLCCool to see this come up! Good to know a little more back story on this palm.  I'd been meaning to setup a day to come visit and purchase some plants ( super Ellen looking at you) and just BS abit about stuff you're zone pushing. I'm relatively close in grain valley. Just a little drive down 70.  Anyways thanks for posting this 

N8

[Dwarf Fan]

On 1/6/2025 at 6:17 PM, KansasPlantFarm-LLC said:

Entering this conversation late.... I anm the one who discovered the original plant (not in the wild of course) but growing on the south side of a building in Lawrence, KS. (see first pic)  I can say from personal experience they survive much further north than their native range.  In zone 6a they grow very slow...barely replacing freeze-damaged leaves each year but on a south side of a building they will eventually get big enough to set seed.  And that is the real treat...possibly even more cold hardy genetics. We have been experimenting with these over the last 15 years and Plant Delights Nursery sold some of our seedlings a few years ago as Sabal minor 'Lawrence'.  These have unknown genetics but hardy enough to survive as low as -18F with no mulch on a south side of a building.  Last year in Jan 2024, it even survived an extremely cold spell with a daytime high of -1F...that's offer 48 hours of temperatures under 0F with hard ground freeze.  Update 2025....still very much alive and thriving. We have several for sale here you look up Kansas Plant Farm. I have also seen a large seed-bearing specimen of sabal minor (unknown genetics) in Stillwater OK at the OSU Botanical Gardens. Hope this helps!

I went to your website and seen this:

“Note: Shipping and Delivery are not available at this time. All prices are for pickup at nursery. “

So are you local sales only no shipping  available?

[KansasPlantFarm-LLC]

At the moment, local sales only. Working on setting up an ebay store to offer shipping this year.. In the mean time, I may be able to ship small plants if you email us.

[PAPalmtrees]

On 1/7/2025 at 8:29 PM, Dwarf Fan said:

I went to your website and seen this:

“Note: Shipping and Delivery are not available at this time. All prices are for pickup at nursery. “

So are you local sales only no shipping  available?

Ok good to know