East Mississippi Bucket List

[JohnAndSancho]

Ok, we're just spitballing here until life improves, but after watching a few YouTube videos and reading posts on here, I'm throwing together a bucket list of stuff for the yard that won't melt in winter. 

Trachys! Fortuneis are cheap enough, but I want a Waggy too. And some Princeps. 

Acoelorrhaphe wrightii - full sun? Swamp lover? Marginally cold hardy? Thorns to keep cats away? I'll take a dozen. 

Sabals Sabals Sabals. I've got sprouts, I've got seeds, I've got seedlings, I'll have plenty of Sabals in like 10 years. 

A Butia would be a gamble but they look so nice. 

I've got 2 different Brahea seeds and some Thrinax Anthocoma on the mats, I don't think they're known for fast germination or growth. 

I think like 4 pallets of mulch 😂😂😂😂😂 

Allen's garden tour has me wanting to plant out some tropical lilies too for color. 

 

I kinda wish there was like,.the gardening equivalent of Pimp My Ride or something where "pros" would come in and clean up this mess and make it look nice. 

[JohnAndSancho]

I forgot the Chamaerops. 

[SeanK]

I can't imagine Acoelorrhaphe being a possibility, even on the MS coast. 

Waggies are distinct when small, but once they have over 4-ft of trunk, they lose that stiff cupping of the leaf. They end up looking like sparse fortuneis.

[JohnAndSancho]

15 hours ago, SeanK said:

I can't imagine Acoelorrhaphe being a possibility, even on the MS coast. 

Waggies are distinct when small, but once they have over 4-ft of trunk, they lose that stiff cupping of the leaf. They end up looking like sparse fortuneis.

Zpalms has an Acoelorhaphe. On paper it should be warmer here, but with these arctic blasts and what not, who knows anymore. And I get what you mean about the older Waggies but I like weird stuff. 

[mnorell]

I grew Acoelorrhaphe in Natchez (9a) and it did well. This species is documented as coming back from about 5F in Dallas in a bad freeze, I think in 1958 (per an old Palm Society journal article); and it certainly came back for me even with 13F in 2018. Below 20F they will likely defoliate and a little below that the trunks may die to the ground, but new stems emerge pretty quickly in spring. It's just a matter of whether you're determined to have a tall, aerial plant or one that gains some height and then gets knocked down every so many years. It's a tough, tough plant! 

[SeanK]

9 hours ago, mnorell said:

I grew Acoelorrhaphe in Natchez (9a) and it did well. This species is documented as coming back from about 5F in Dallas in a bad freeze, I think in 1958 (per an old Palm Society journal article); and it certainly came back for me even with 13F in 2018. Below 20F they will likely defoliate and a little below that the trunks may die to the ground, but new stems emerge pretty quickly in spring. It's just a matter of whether you're determined to have a tall, aerial plant or one that gains some height and then gets knocked down every so many years. It's a tough, tough plant! 

So pretty much z9a. That's good. I don't want plants dying back every winter as they never reach critical mass for growth.

[Atlanta Area Palm Guy]

On 6/14/2025 at 1:21 AM, JohnAndSancho said:

Ok, we're just spitballing here until life improves, but after watching a few YouTube videos and reading posts on here, I'm throwing together a bucket list of stuff for the yard that won't melt in winter. 

Trachys! Fortuneis are cheap enough, but I want a Waggy too. And some Princeps. 

Acoelorrhaphe wrightii - full sun? Swamp lover? Marginally cold hardy? Thorns to keep cats away? I'll take a dozen. 

Sabals Sabals Sabals. I've got sprouts, I've got seeds, I've got seedlings, I'll have plenty of Sabals in like 10 years. 

A Butia would be a gamble but they look so nice. 

I've got 2 different Brahea seeds and some Thrinax Anthocoma on the mats, I don't think they're known for fast germination or growth. 

I think like 4 pallets of mulch 😂😂😂😂😂 

Allen's garden tour has me wanting to plant out some tropical lilies too for color. 

 

I kinda wish there was like,.the gardening equivalent of Pimp My Ride or something where "pros" would come in and clean up this mess and make it look nice. 

Maybe Sabal Miamiensis?  Sabal Brazoria?  I'm not sure what kind of Sabals you have.  There are many varieties to choose from.  Warren, Arkansas Sabal minor may also be a solid choice.  Many varieties of Chamaerops to try as well.

[JohnAndSancho]

1 hour ago, Atlanta Area Palm Guy said:

Maybe Sabal Miamiensis?  Sabal Brazoria?  I'm not sure what kind of Sabals you have.  There are many varieties to choose from.  Warren, Arkansas Sabal minor may also be a solid choice.  Many varieties of Chamaerops to try as well.

I've got some year old seedlings of Bermudana, some Mexicana starting to sprout, a bag of Palmetto where one has sprouted, some Minor from Washington County, TX, and a wild growing Minor in the woods. @Fusca donated some Louisiana seeds that should be here in a week or so, along with some Washies. 

 

At the John and Sancho East Mississippi Palm Conservatorium, we are always grateful for donations. 

[Atlanta Area Palm Guy]

1 hour ago, JohnAndSancho said:

I've got some year old seedlings of Bermudana, some Mexicana starting to sprout, a bag of Palmetto where one has sprouted, some Minor from Washington County, TX, and a wild growing Minor in the woods. @Fusca donated some Louisiana seeds that should be here in a week or so, along with some Washies. 

 

At the John and Sancho East Mississippi Palm Conservatorium, we are always grateful for donations. 

I just thought of another Sabal Palmetto variety-Sabal Riverside.  There are so many varieties flying "under the radar".  I know that some Sabal Palmetto growers have begun referring to their Sabal Palmettos in a way similar to the Sabal minors.  For instance, there is Sabal "Mocksville" and I'm sure there is Sabal "Atlanta" or Sabal "Lake Norman" or something along those lines.

The baggie germination rates are great with Sabal Miamiensis and Washingtonia Filifera varieties.

[JohnAndSancho]

Just now, Atlanta Area Palm Guy said:

I just thought of another Sabal-Sabal Riverside.  There are so many varieties flying "under the radar".  I know that some Sabal Palmetto growers have begun referring to their Sabal Palmettos in a way similar to the Sabal minors.  For instance, there is Sabal "Mocksville" and I'm sure there is Sabal "Atlanta" or Sabal "Lake Norman" or something along those lines.

i'm hoping this year I get the seeds from this Sabal EastMississippiana before the deer and birds do. Or maybe I name it after Sancho and call it Sabal Sanchismo. 

[Atlanta Area Palm Guy]

1 minute ago, JohnAndSancho said:

i'm hoping this year I get the seeds from this Sabal EastMississippiana before the deer and birds do. Or maybe I name it after Sancho and call it Sabal Sanchismo. 

Baggie germination rates are great with Sabal Miamiensis and Washingtonia Filifera.  Great bang for the buck as long you soak the (viable) seeds for a while and make sure the soil is moist, not wet.

[JohnAndSancho]

10 minutes ago, Atlanta Area Palm Guy said:

Baggie germination rates are great with Sabal Miamiensis and Washingtonia Filifera.  Great bang for the buck as long you soak the (viable) seeds for a while and make sure the soil is moist, not wet.

I had some Filifera seeds and you're right. They popped way faster than I anticipated and turned into spaghetti in the bag. The Bermudana literally tore through their baggie in a month. Now I check everything daily. 

[Atlanta Area Palm Guy]

15 minutes ago, JohnAndSancho said:

I had some Filifera seeds and you're right. They popped way faster than I anticipated and turned into spaghetti in the bag. The Bermudana literally tore through their baggie in a month. Now I check everything daily. 

That makes sense.  I'll take your word for it on the Bermudana lol.  The Miamisensis won't give the spaghetti effect like the Filifera, but they will be perfectly content to stay in that baggie for a long time.

[JohnAndSancho]

44 minutes ago, Atlanta Area Palm Guy said:

That makes sense.  I'll take your word for it on the Bermudana lol.  The Miamisensis won't give the spaghetti effect like the Filifera, but they will be perfectly content to stay in that baggie for a long time.

Oh those Filifera got cooked! And there's a post somewhere on here on the Bermudana. I'm not exaggerating, they tore through the baggie. They're doing great now, I've got maybe a dozen of them. I've got some in a bathroom window and a few weeks ago I moved some others under a grow bulb getting them acclimated for the brutal sun. They've outgrown their little Solo cups. 

 

I'm still waiting for my Mexicana sprouts to show more progress and I'm hoping more of the others pop soon. I'm not the most patient guy on the planet, but I'm not working and have no money so it is what it is. 

[Atlanta Area Palm Guy]

17 minutes ago, JohnAndSancho said:

Oh those Filifera got cooked! And there's a post somewhere on here on the Bermudana. I'm not exaggerating, they tore through the baggie. They're doing great now, I've got maybe a dozen of them. I've got some in a bathroom window and a few weeks ago I moved some others under a grow bulb getting them acclimated for the brutal sun. They've outgrown their little Solo cups. 

 

I'm still waiting for my Mexicana sprouts to show more progress and I'm hoping more of the others pop soon. I'm not the most patient guy on the planet, but I'm not working and have no money so it is what it is. 

Some will be slower for whatever reason.  I have Filifera seedlings that took the delayed approach to germination.  My guess is that the household temperature was a bit too low in the spot where I had the baggies put.

[JohnAndSancho]

17 minutes ago, Atlanta Area Palm Guy said:

Some will be slower for whatever reason.  I have Filifera seedlings that took the delayed approach to germination.  My guess is that the household temperature was a bit too low in the spot where I had the baggies put.

I invested in heat mats. I found them on Amazon and I think I paid $30 for a 2 pack. They're not fancy with thermostats or timers or anything, but I can confirm that they are mats and they do get warm. Before that I was using an old back and body heating pad and I had no idea just how hot those things got, even with the cover on. I googled it and this one got up to 130° and since it was old it only works on high. Lol that's a bit much unless you're germinating seeds native to hell. 

[Atlanta Area Palm Guy]

32 minutes ago, JohnAndSancho said:

I invested in heat mats. I found them on Amazon and I think I paid $30 for a 2 pack. They're not fancy with thermostats or timers or anything, but I can confirm that they are mats and they do get warm. Before that I was using an old back and body heating pad and I had no idea just how hot those things got, even with the cover on. I googled it and this one got up to 130° and since it was old it only works on high. Lol that's a bit much unless you're germinating seeds native to hell. 

I have a heat mat, but I enjoy germinating the seeds without it.  I would use the mat if the seeds counted on it.

Lol.  Yeah, I see what you mean.  130 degrees is too much.

[JohnAndSancho]

19 minutes ago, Atlanta Area Palm Guy said:

I have a heat mat, but I enjoy germinating the seeds without it.  I would use the mat if the seeds counted on it.

Lol.  Yeah, I see what you mean.  130 degrees is too much.

I tried without heat and all I grew was nothing. I mean I say this like I've been doing this my whole life though. 

[JohnAndSancho]

I don't think Butias are that big of a gamble now after seeing an absolute unit in the next county south of me.