Sabal Palms III: Sabal palmetto and Minor Sabal Species

Continuing on with our series on hardy palms is the species Sabal palmetto, the palm that is on the state flag of South Carolina and Florida. The pursuing descriptions spotlight the incredible wide variety of the species.

Sabal palmetto (Palmetto Palm)

The 40′ tall S. palmetto is the dominant trunked palm in the Southeast US. Its indigenous vary ranges from Florida north to coastal North Carolina. Like S. small, the cultivars are seed grown and signify particular genetic populations. (Hardiness Zone 8-10)

S. palmetto ‘Bald Head Island’ (Bald Head Island Palmetto Palm)

The most northern native stand of S. palmettos in the region resides on Bald Head Island, NC. We have located seedlings from these plants to be notably winter season hardy in our weather, exhibiting no damage considering the fact that 1999. (Hardiness Zone 7b-10)

S. palmetto ‘Lisa’ (Lisa Palmetto Palm)

This is a most unconventional congested leaf type of S. palmetto, and reportedly 1 that has fantastic wintertime hardiness. I have nonetheless to check out this in the ground in Zone 7b. (Hardiness Zone 8-10, guessing)

S. palmetto ‘Mt. Holly’ (Mt. Holly Palmetto Palm)

This is an additional exceptionally wintertime hardy kind of S. palmetto developed from seed of a plant in Mt. Holly (west of Charlotte), North Carolina. Planted in the 1960s, these 18-20′ palms have survived -5 degrees F in their latest location. We have had these in the yard due to the fact 1999 with out any sign of harm. The foliage on this type is a great deal narrower than what we feel of as a common S. palmetto.

S. palmetto ‘Rock Hill’ (Rock Hill Palmetto Palm)

These S. palmettos are from a stand in Rock Hill, SC (just south of Charlotte NC). They had been planted in the 1950s, and survived the history very low temperature of -8 levels F in, 1984/85. The leaves of this kind are a lot broader than the S. palmetto ‘Mt. Holly’ variety, and have revealed marginally less wintertime hardiness in our trials. (Hardiness Zone 7b-10)

S. palmetto ‘Tifton Hardy’ (Tifton Hardy Palmetto Palm)

This seed pressure of the southeast indigenous S. palmetto was gathered by retired Metropolis of Raleigh horticulturist Noel Weston on a excursion via Tifton, Ga immediately after the 1980s freeze that killed most of the palmettos. Noel observed an undamaged specimen at a Tifton resort and gathered seed. Assume a 10′ trunk in 15 years. The leaves on this form are extensive like S. palmetto ‘Rock Hill’. (Hardiness Zone 7b-10)

S. rosei (Savannah Palmetto)

This minor identified palm hails from Mexico’s West Coast, where by it can be located in tropical deciduous forests to 2,500′ elevation from Culiacan south to Guadalajara. The 40′ tall palms resemble the east coast S. palmetto, but with pretty stiff costapalmate leaves. Crops at Georgia’s Bamboo Farm have taken 15 levels F, and Alabama’s Hayes Jackson reviews that his crops have withstood 8 levels F, so we consider these are value a consider for gardeners eager to experiment. S. rosei prefers perfectly-draining soils and internet sites in complete sunshine. Compact crops in our garden survived 9 levels F in 2009, even though the foliage burned off. (Hardiness Zone 8b-10, at minimum)

Sabal sp. Tamaulipas (Mexican Scrub Palm)

(aka: S. insignificant YD 17-55) This special, yard-deserving palm has been lumped into S. slight, which is bizarre if you have grown these two plants aspect by aspect. Sabal sp. Tamaulipas is a S. minimal on steroids expanding a few instances as rapid, with considerably greater leaves, and substantially larger sized seed. The 6′ wide costapalmate (bends in the center) leaves adorn the 8′ tall clumps. Our dad or mum plant is from a 1988 Yucca Do seed expedition into Tamaulipas, Mexico, wherever these palms ended up identified all-around 1,500′ elevation. Despite the fact that seemingly trunkless, older specimens develop a horizontal trunk up to 4′ extended that lays on the floor. Our oldest vegetation, installed in 1997, have reached 8′ in height. (Hardiness Zone 7b-10)

S. uresana (Sonoran Palmetto)

From up to 4500′ elevation in the valleys and foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental (states of Sonora and Chihuahua) in Western Mexico will come this relative of Sabal palmetto that has executed perfectly in East Coast Zone 8 gardens. S. uresana is extremely gradual, but inevitably (in your grand-young children life span) can make a stunning 30′ tall tree with costapalmate silvery-inexperienced leaves and a contrasting dim brown trunk. If you get pleasure from experimenting, Sabal uresana is a superior one to attempt.