NCFM Posted July 15, 2022 Report Share Posted July 15, 2022 Huggins Island is located across the intracoastal waterway from Swansboro, NC, and it faces the inlet between Emerald Isle and Bear Island. It was home to a Confederate battery during the civil war, but is now uninhabited. I recently explored the maritime forest there and took some pictures of the Sabal minor I found growing wild: Some were beginning to develop above ground trunks (croc for size reference) I noticed that most were growing in close proximity to the coast, rather than in the interior of the island. Does anyone with more knowledge have an idea why that might be? 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff zone 8 N.C. Posted July 16, 2022 Report Share Posted July 16, 2022 That is one of my favorite islands to visit whenever I am near there. It is a beautiful island. Great for a picnic. It was a farm many many years ago well before nearby Hammocks Beach State Park obtained and saved it from development. The farm would have covered most of the island but the shoreline would have been left with a tree line to protect the crops from wind. Any inland S. minors would have been cleared away ( or the emerging spears eaten as cabbage) and because it is sandy, minors would have a harder time reclaiming their inland home.. There used to be more and larger S. minors along the shore but coastal erosion washed them away. The state has taken some steps to secure it from further erosion. The earthen fort on the island was "manned" by local women because the men were off at war (civil war). Before Europeans arrived Native Americans lived there. The fort earth works are full of shells and pottery, moved from destroyed natives shell mounds. Those minors are the same as the 'Emerald Isle Giant' Sabal minors which can be found at nearby Emerald Isle, along Bogue Sound, and up the White Oak River. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Simpson Posted July 20, 2022 Report Share Posted July 20, 2022 Cool story about that island . Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCFM Posted September 17 Author Report Share Posted September 17 I revisited the island recently, and I found a couple huge ones that I missed last time: Looks like there was a fire on the island, but the palms recovered nicely: The island is also full of these giant spiders, anyone know what type they are? 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddytn Posted September 17 Report Share Posted September 17 The first pic is insane, that is a seriously massive Sabal minor! Thank you for sharing 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff zone 8 N.C. Posted September 17 Report Share Posted September 17 There was a fire on the island back in the spring. Fire crews went out to control it but I have not visited this summer to see how much burned. I live very close by and have never seen a spider like that. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve617 Posted September 18 Report Share Posted September 18 Those are awesome. Never been to that part. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZPalms Posted September 18 Report Share Posted September 18 (edited) 7 hours ago, NCFM said: I revisited the island recently, and I found a couple huge ones that I missed last time: Looks like there was a fire on the island, but the palms recovered nicely: The island is also full of these giant spiders, anyone know what type they are? Those sabal minors look sooooooo old they look so cool, I always forget sabal minor can get bigger than a person! and that spider I thought it was one of those new invasive spiders or maybe it is or maybe an Golden Silk Orb Weaver? That's the close thing I could find to that spider Edited September 18 by ZPalms 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PalmatierMeg Posted September 18 Report Share Posted September 18 15 hours ago, teddytn said: The first pic is insane, that is a seriously massive Sabal minor! Thank you for sharing Amazing palm. Puts the ‘Giant’ in the Emerald Isle giant. 2 Meg Palms of Victory I shall wear Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise) Florida Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal Elevation: 15 feetI'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCFM Posted September 18 Author Report Share Posted September 18 17 hours ago, teddytn said: The first pic is insane, that is a seriously massive Sabal minor! Thank you for sharing Of course! I'd like to know how old it is, must be ancient 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dwarf Fan Posted September 18 Report Share Posted September 18 On 7/16/2022 at 12:27 AM, Jeff zone 8 N.C. said: Those minors are the same as the 'Emerald Isle Giant' Sabal minors which can be found at nearby Emerald Isle, along Bogue Sound, and up the White Oak River. NCFM that is an incredible quality shot of an 'Emerald Isle Giant' in Habitat and a great history lesson to boot!!! Between your capture of the biggest and clearest pic I have ever seen online of an ‘Emerald Isle Giant' and MattInRaleigh’s shot if the Juniper Level Botanic Garden trunking ‘Louisiana’ it has been a banner week for us “Dwarf” Sabal Fans! Hats off to you young man I couldn’t be more excited than if you caught a HD shot of Bigfoot, thanks for sharing! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCFM Posted September 18 Author Report Share Posted September 18 1 hour ago, Dwarf Fan said: NCFM that is an incredible quality shot of an 'Emerald Isle Giant' in Habitat and a great history lesson to boot!!! Between your capture of the biggest and clearest pic I have ever seen online of an ‘Emerald Isle Giant' and MattInRaleigh’s shot if the Juniper Level Botanic Garden trunking ‘Louisiana’ it has been a banner week for us “Dwarf” Sabal Fans! Hats off to you young man I couldn’t be more excited than if you caught a HD shot of Bigfoot, thanks for sharing! Thank you sir! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff zone 8 N.C. Posted September 19 Report Share Posted September 19 Lest you think those are the only location for big minors in coastal N.C. do a search for Gary's Nursery http://www.garysnursery.com/ . Click on his sidebar of big minors and be sure to note Gary's height in the comments. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Simpson Posted September 19 Report Share Posted September 19 Great looking palm and cool spider . Will This is the one that always trips me out . Gary is 6'4" . 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ESVA Posted September 19 Report Share Posted September 19 1 minute ago, Will Simpson said: Great looking palm and cool spider . Will This is the one that always trips me out . Gary is 6'4" . Do you know whether these large sabals are considered "S. minor" or 'S. minor var Lousiana" ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Simpson Posted September 19 Report Share Posted September 19 I just found out that that spider is a Banana spider , AKA Golden Silk Orbweaver , ( Nephila clavipes ). NC is at the limit of its range which goes down into South America . 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Simpson Posted September 19 Report Share Posted September 19 8 minutes ago, ESVA said: Do you know whether these large sabals are considered "S. minor" or 'S. minor var Lousiana" ? Those are just a huge ecotype of native Sabal minors in NC . 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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