Sabal sps?

[Quincy John]

This is a population of palms found mainly around a cypress pond and its drainage. It is present on the surrounding hills too but the oldest trunking palms are by the water.  It looks like a the tallest Sabal louisiana I’ve seen, but seems too costapalmate. It is at least a naturalized population. If it’s not native, they must have been planted many decades ago. How long does it take for S. louisiana to trunk in the understory? What do you think? This is north of I-10 in Jefferson county Florida well north of the coast where you find native Sabal palmetto.

[Alex Zone 5]

Either Palmetto or Mexicana(Texas)

[Dwarf Fan]

17 hours ago, Alex Zone 5 said:

Either Palmetto or Mexicana(Texas)

^^^ Agreed. I don’t see either the collapsed fronds OR the anterior angled fronds, that you typically see on a Louisiana.

The forward arching fronds makes me lean towards S. palmetto.

My $0.02.

[Chester B]

And to add Palmettos have been grown outside their natural range for decades. Plenty of time for one to get big. 

[Quincy John]

Look at the petiole length, the way the leaf bases shoot up not out, how close together they are, and how the inflorescences shoot up. They are not exactly like anything else. The closest is if the Defuniak and Louisiana had a baby. I’ll post better pics showing the confusing characteristics. 

[MrTropical]

22 hours ago, Alex Zone 5 said:

Either Palmetto or Mexicana(Texas)

I also agree. Sabal Palmetto would be my guess.

4-7-2024

[SeanK]

The shape and density of the retained boots is peculiar. Not convinced it's a straight up palmetto or mexicana.

[Jeff zone 8 N.C.]

Looks special to me. Not S. palmetto. Consider S. Birmingham when trying to ID.

[redbeard917]

Definitely looks unusual to me. I'd be interested to know if the inflorescence more closely resembles minor or palmetto.

[Dwarf Fan]

3 hours ago, SeanK said:

The shape and density of the retained boots is peculiar. Not convinced it's a straight up palmetto or mexicana.

I was so fixated on the fronds I didn’t even notice the boots until you pointed that out!

My next door neighbor has a picture perfect Mexicana the boots are a nice symmetrical X-cross thatch type pattern, I stare at the boots everyday.

It is definitely NOT S. mexicana the boots are way too asymmetrical… almost “crowded”.

Still doesn’t anything look like a Louisiana definitely NOT Louisiana.

 

2 hours ago, Jeff zone 8 N.C. said:

Looks special to me. Not S. palmetto. Consider S. Birmingham when trying to ID.

 

2 hours ago, redbeard917 said:

Definitely looks unusual to me. I'd be interested to know if the inflorescence more closely resembles minor or palmetto.

OP sounds like you may not have a S. palmetto either.

But now the mystery only deepens… what is it?