Silver Serenoa repens

[Zeeth]

With the silver saw palmetto, does a palm with a more brilliantly silver leaf produce silver select seedlings, or is it the age that causes a silver Serenoa repens to "mature" into a more brilliantly silver form? I want to start growing the silver form, so I was wondering if the degree of silver in the parent would really impact the coloring of the seedlings I get from it. What are your thoughts/observations?

[freakypalmguy]

I remember when I was searching through a batch of silver Serenoa and the grower said, "you want to pick one with the best color", well I didn't listen and picked out the biggest plant of the batch and now I have a green Serenoa that shows hints of silver. It has divided in to three stems and flowered so I think it would have changed by now if it was going to. I still hold hope for it.

That being said, find the plant showing the best color should give you the best chance, then choose the seedlings with the best color to grow and toss the rest.

[Alberto]

I have +- 3-4 yo seedlings from 3 different origins (RPS, seedlings sent from Portugal and USA) and they show some little hints of silver. How long they take to show the real collors???

[tank]

Most seem to show their color after the first few character leaves come in, others take longer to grow into their color, while others do not show the true silver of their parents and will always be on the green side. Full sun helps bring out the color but the really white ones seem to hold their color in shade or sun. There is usually quite a bit of variation, even in seed batches where the only possible parents exhibited great silver coloration.

I guess I'm saying genetics... then age IMO .

[tank]

Zeeth,

Save yourself several years and go to a nursery that will let you select the ones with the best color in at least a 3 gal. They have become VERY inexpensive, at least that's the case up here in N. Florida.

[Kris]

Zeeth,

Save yourself several years and go to a nursery that will let you select the ones with the best color in at least a 3 gal. They have become VERY inexpensive, at least that's the case up here in N. Florida.

Well Said !