Wild S. Minor on MD Eastern Shore?

[Saltydog]

I spoke with a Maryland game warden yesterday who told me that he found a grove of apparently wild sabal minor growing in the woods in Dorchester County near the town of Hurlock (Eastern Shore / Delmarva Peninsula - Zone 7A). I find this to be somewhat implausible, as it’s my understanding that the nearest naturally occurring S Minor is on Monkey Island in northeast NC about 100 miles south.  I’m not even aware of S Minor occurring in Dismal Swamp at the VA-NC border (only unsubstantiated reports). Perhaps someone spread some seed? Anybody else heard of such a thing?

[Joe NC]

12 minutes ago, Saltydog said:

 Perhaps someone spread some seed? Anybody else heard of such a thing?

Heard of someone spreading palm seeds?  Yes.

Many "Johnny Palmseed" stories on this forum.  I am guilty of creating a Sabal grove in the wooded area behind my house...…

Also it is plausible that some hungry birds at the fruit of a minor growing in somebody's yard nearby and deposited them in suitable forest habitat.      

[knikfar]

The minors here in Raleigh seed like crazy. Every plant has tons of babies all around them. So it wouldn't surprise me at all if a bird dropped some from a local garden minor. 

[knikfar]

On 7/1/2021 at 11:31 AM, Joe NC said:

Heard of someone spreading palm seeds?  Yes.

Many "Johnny Palmseed" stories on this forum.  I am guilty of creating a Sabal grove in the wooded area behind my house...…

Also it is plausible that some hungry birds at the fruit of a minor growing in somebody's yard nearby and deposited them in suitable forest habitat.      

Yay to your sabal grove! I'd like to do that here in Raleigh.

[Sabal King]

1 hour ago, knikfar said:

Yay to your sabal grove! I'd like to do that here in Raleigh.

Soon as any of my sabals start putting out seed there will be random sabal groves popping up around here.  Can't wait.

[Alex High]

On 7/1/2021 at 11:11 AM, Saltydog said:

I spoke with a Maryland game warden yesterday who told me that he found a grove of apparently wild sabal minor growing in the woods in Dorchester County near the town of Hurlock (Eastern Shore / Delmarva Peninsula - Zone 7A). I find this to be somewhat implausible, as it’s my understanding that the nearest naturally occurring S Minor is on Monkey Island in northeast NC about 100 miles south.  I’m not even aware of S Minor occurring in Dismal Swamp at the VA-NC border (only unsubstantiated reports). Perhaps someone spread some seed? Anybody else heard of such a thing?

Very interesting, thanks for sharing, I remember seeing this interesting picture on iNaturalist of a nice palm growing in the middle of the woods in Janes Island State Park on the southwestern part of the Eastern Shore of Maryland. It was originally identified as a Sabal minor on iNaturalist but was updated to be described as a needle palm as it has tomentum on it. Looks like a needle palm to me but there are so few homes around there at all to say nothing of palms that I would really be surprised if it was escaped from cultivation. I really want to go and see it but I haven't had the time yet, hopefully soon! Thoughts? Thanks and take care!

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/38070621

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[SEVA]

On 7/8/2021 at 7:59 PM, PalmsUSA said:

Very interesting, thanks for sharing, I remember seeing this interesting picture on iNaturalist of a nice palm growing in the middle of the woods in Janes Island State Park on the southwestern part of the Eastern Shore of Maryland. It was originally identified as a Sabal minor on iNaturalist but was updated to be described as a needle palm as it has tomentum on it. Looks like a needle palm to me but there are so few homes around there at all to say nothing of palms that I would really be surprised if it was escaped from cultivation. I really want to go and see it but I haven't had the time yet, hopefully soon! Thoughts? Thanks and take care!

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/38070621

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I think I found it. I tried to zoom in from the trail.

[Henoh]

Looks like a needle palm. 

Edited August 18, 2021 by Henoh

[DCA_Palm_Fan]

17 hours ago, SEVA said:

I think I found it. I tried to zoom in from the trail.

Thats awsome!   Also, thats 100% Needle Palm.  No doubt about it.  

[DCA_Palm_Fan]

On 7/1/2021 at 11:11 AM, Saltydog said:

I spoke with a Maryland game warden yesterday who told me that he found a grove of apparently wild sabal minor growing in the woods in Dorchester County near the town of Hurlock (Eastern Shore / Delmarva Peninsula - Zone 7A). I find this to be somewhat implausible, as it’s my understanding that the nearest naturally occurring S Minor is on Monkey Island in northeast NC about 100 miles south.  I’m not even aware of S Minor occurring in Dismal Swamp at the VA-NC border (only unsubstantiated reports). Perhaps someone spread some seed? Anybody else heard of such a thing?

Very cool!  I'm from Washington D.C. and have spent LOADS of time on and around the Chesapeake bay / Eastern Shore / DelMarVa.  In fact I grew up on the bay.   While they are not native to the area, they can easily survive no problem.   S. Minor are fairly common in the Va Beach area and I'm very confident that they are natrualising down there.

I planted one at my old house in Alexandria VA, close to the Potomac river, and it is still there. Its now a decade old.  Its a great size now and has been seeding every year since about 2012.  You can even see it on google streetview.   The point is that they can def easily survive 7A/b  areas no problem.   Either a person, or a bird distrubuted the seeds where yours were found, but im glad to know they are now out there in the wild!  

pic is from google streetview.  Link to it included 

209 E Duncan Ave - Google Maps

[Stevejr]

On 7/8/2021 at 11:34 AM, tlow said:

Soon as any of my sabals start putting out seed there will be random sabal groves popping up around here.  Can't wait.

I’m growing sabal minor’s successfully in Bayside (Queens), NY, Z7b without any winter protection. I scattered some seed this past Fall in the local woods. It would be amazing to see a grove of sabal’s popping up in a few years in Queens of all places!

[AlexSmith]

Hi I live in delmarva I find this very intresting that there could some small populations that spread in delmarva because since it not studyed its possible in secret unfound populations exist. If anyone has any more information on this please email me and if you hear from someone if you can getting there information to would be nice. I have noticed winters are warmer these days then they used to getting into the 50s and 60s much more common and I have noticed grass being green way later in the years

[AlexSmith]

Do you know who that Game warden is cause id like to talk to him about this it seems very interesting I do live near there and would be interested in him showing me the location of them not being creepy but yeah some contacts would be nice 

[Luis Arroyo]

On 1/19/2026 at 6:27 PM, Luis Arroyo said:

Takil may be a question of location. Every photo I've ever seen of this Palm  in the wild, it's always on mountain slopes. I think this Palm likes fast draining soil and doesn't tolerate wet feet at all. Germinating Seas requires much patience because you have to temptation to water the soil because you feel it's not germinating fast enough, but these are very slow seeds and they do not like wet medium. Especially in a controlled environment like a bag or a growing tray with the lid trapping moisture.  Probably the best in Rocky Loamy soil, even a little Sandy.  But I can't picture surviving in clay soil or any other soil that holds high water content. Like I said I've never seen this Palm in the Wild on any photograph drawing any coastal plain always on a hill or on pots or raised beds.

 

On 8/18/2021 at 12:40 AM, SEVA said:

I think I found it. I tried to zoom in from the trail.

 

On 7/8/2021 at 7:59 PM, Alex High said:

Very interesting, thanks for sharing, I remember seeing this interesting picture on iNaturalist of a nice palm growing in the middle of the woods in Janes Island State Park on the southwestern part of the Eastern Shore of Maryland. It was originally identified as a Sabal minor on iNaturalist but was updated to be described as a needle palm as it has tomentum on it. Looks like a needle palm to me but there are so few homes around there at all to say nothing of palms that I would really be surprised if it was escaped from cultivation. I really want to go and see it but I haven't had the time yet, hopefully soon! Thoughts? Thanks and take care!

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/38070621

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That is definitely Rhapidophyllum Histrix.  There's no mistaking the juvenile fronds to the back of that first adult spear.  It is on! Once you get that first adult spear the plant will accelerate in growth the following summer. Here's my needle Palm in Newark New Jersey, USDA 7A. It's on both sides of the fence.  There's another one nearby, but it is Tiny.  It flowers every year but there's no companion . I can't tell if it's male or female 

[AlexSmith]

On 7/1/2021 at 11:11 AM, Saltydog said:

I spoke with a Maryland game warden yesterday who told me that he found a grove of apparently wild sabal minor growing in the woods in Dorchester County near the town of Hurlock (Eastern Shore / Delmarva Peninsula - Zone 7A). I find this to be somewhat implausible, as it’s my understanding that the nearest naturally occurring S Minor is on Monkey Island in northeast NC about 100 miles south.  I’m not even aware of S Minor occurring in Dismal Swamp at the VA-NC border (only unsubstantiated reports). Perhaps someone spread some seed? Anybody else heard of such a thing?

As someone from caroline county I have a sabal minor from seed in my yard and never needed protection from the cold in a 7a climate zone because of global warming climate zone maps are outdated its more like 7b here now not 7a. hasnt even gotten any leaf tip burn so def not implausible in my opionon