A possible native sabal minor in virginia

[PAPalmtrees]

Hello everyone I was looking on facebook and I found this post of a "Naturalized" Or possibly natives sabal minor in Sandbridge VA And I would love to hear everyone's opinion on this. The creator of the post didn't really give a clear description of where it was. In my opinion I believe this could be remnants from a old population in the Great Dismal Swamp or the Back Bay Area Or even just naturalize from a specimen on monkey island NC. Please let me know your thoughts on this I was looking in the comments but everyone was just arguing about climate change LOL. I'll post the Facebook link on here I'll also post a video of it if anyone doesn't have Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19xGTRLt4c/

2026-02-11 22-40-16.mkv

[Chester B]

13 hours ago, PAPalmtrees said:

Hello everyone I was looking on facebook and I found this post of a "Naturalized" Or possibly natives sabal minor in Sandbridge VA And I would love to hear everyone's opinion on this. The creator of the post didn't really give a clear description of where it was. In my opinion I believe this could be remnants from a old population in the Great Dismal Swamp or the Back Bay Area Or even just naturalize from a specimen on monkey island NC. Please let me know your thoughts on this I was looking in the comments but everyone was just arguing about climate change LOL. I'll post the Facebook link on here I'll also post a video of it if anyone doesn't have Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19xGTRLt4c/

2026-02-11 22-40-16.mkv 2.05 MB · 2 downloads

I would suggest looking up older posts on here (from a few years back).  Whether or not there are remnant populations of Sabal minor in Virginia have been discussed extensively on Palmtalk more than once.

[PAPalmtrees]

29 minutes ago, Chester B said:

I would suggest looking up older posts on here (from a few years back).  Whether or not there are remnant populations of Sabal minor in Virginia have been discussed extensively on Palmtalk more than once.

Yeah I'm aware of that that's what actually got me into doing some more research on this topic. I've been looking all over Facebook and the Internet for any post about this topic. Sadly there's not much information (Other than Palmtalk and some Facebook threads) I hope that changes eventually. I know Gary Haller did a post on his website about some possible ones in Virginia well that's at least what I heard

[JohnAndSancho]

I think "Great Dismal Swamp" just became my new official name for our patch of land. 

Sort of related but I found a 2nd native here growing in a clump of trees under a cedar tree the other day. 

 

If I had to guess it's 2 or 3 years old and had to have been planted by a bird. 

 

[PAPalmtrees]

41 minutes ago, JohnAndSancho said:

I think "Great Dismal Swamp" just became my new official name for our patch of land. 

Sort of related but I found a 2nd native here growing in a clump of trees under a cedar tree the other day. 

 

If I had to guess it's 2 or 3 years old and had to have been planted by a bird. 

 

That's pretty cool! I know they are hard to dig up but you should try If you haven't already

[JohnAndSancho]

30 minutes ago, PAPalmtrees said:

That's pretty cool! I know they are hard to dig up but you should try If you haven't already

Welp 

 

The fun thing is, down here so many different types of trees cluster together so I'd be untangling the roots from cedar, there's some oak saplings under there, and god knows what else. So I think what I'll do instead is go out there with the chainsaw and the loppers and just clear out around it. And I've still got pounds of seeds so no biggie. 

[Chester B]

49 minutes ago, PAPalmtrees said:

That's pretty cool! I know they are hard to dig up but you should try If you haven't already

If he digs it, he will kill it.  Better to leave it and let it seed.

[PAPalmtrees]

50 minutes ago, JohnAndSancho said:

Welp 

 

The fun thing is, down here so many different types of trees cluster together so I'd be untangling the roots from cedar, there's some oak saplings under there, and god knows what else. So I think what I'll do instead is go out there with the chainsaw and the loppers and just clear out around it. And I've still got pounds of seeds so no biggie. 

Oh yeah I never thought of that. That's a good idea, it would be cool if you could make it trail in that area and plant some more

[PAPalmtrees]

37 minutes ago, Chester B said:

If he digs it, he will kill it.  Better to leave it and let it seed.

Yeah it definitely would be better just to leave it. I've tried to dig some that are that size and it is pretty hard not to break their roots

[JohnAndSancho]

1 hour ago, PAPalmtrees said:

Oh yeah I never thought of that. That's a good idea, it would be cool if you could make it trail in that area and plant some more

I got 5.2 acres and seeds are bountiful. I already spread a couple pounds of (hopefully) good Palmetto seeds in the woods and along the tree line in a few spots. I'm hoping putting them in the shade grows them into short fat trunks but the chances of me seeing them get that big aren't that great.