Lucky Palm

[Central Floridave]

They called this 'the Lucky Palm'. Silver Springs, Florida.

[virtualpalm]

That is crazy awesome, Dave. Thanks for the photos.

Jody

[greekpalm]

CRAZY !

[Mandrew968]

Isn't that the rare Sabal serpentii?

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

Yes, the palm is lucky it was blown over in "middle age" so that it could survive by staying low and missing lightning and more hurricanes.

When a palm stays upright, all its' biological signals tell it to keep growing up. When a palm is blown over, like this was decades ago, I think something in it got confused. Whatever the biological mechanisms are for vertical growth, they somehow got mixed up so it went all screwy. Usually, palms just continue to grow and bend upright, but not this one.

[Eric in Orlando]

Cool palm !!!

[Darold Petty]

Please state the latin binomial name for this palm. We have many readers from other countries, and others not familiar with Florida palms. Me included !!

[Mandrew968]

Sabal palmetto

[Central Floridave]

Check out this postcard from 1954 of the lucky palm

http://www.cardcow.com/166283/floridas-silver-springs/

[Darold Petty]

Thanks for the ID !

[Kailua_Krish]

For any of you who are interested the future of Silver Springs (where this palm is growing) is kind of up in the air right now. The company that owns it it having financial difficulties and Marion county (Ocala-Siver Springs-Belleview)is wanting the state to take over it as a state park due to the historical and ecological significance of the springs. Our current state government has (preliminarily) indicated that they really arent that interested in creating any more state parks at this time due to budgetary concerns.

Please no political responses, I just wanted to indicate the uncertain future of this beautiful land and palm near my home.

-Krishna

[Walter John]

wow

[pindo]

Check out this postcard from 1954 of the lucky palm

http://www.cardcow.com/166283/floridas-silver-springs/

Wooowwww !!!

excellent !!!!

[Central Floridave]

I think Silver Springs is all ready owned by the State of Florida. It is part of the State Park system but is leased out to a private corp. I could be wrong. I think Weeki Wachee was also just bought out by the State a few years back and is now a State Park. These old tyme Central Florida Theme parks are relics of the past for sure. I'm glad the State can buy them up and keep them somewhat pristine. Otherwise, we would be paved over by now...Like California is....

I call this palm the unlucky palm, also taken at Silver Springs last weekend.

[Kailua_Krish]

I think Silver Springs is all ready owned by the State of Florida. It is part of the State Park system but is leased out to a private corp. I could be wrong. I think Weeki Wachee was also just bought out by the State a few years back and is now a State Park. These old tyme Central Florida Theme parks are relics of the past for sure. I'm glad the State can buy them up and keep them somewhat pristine. Otherwise, we would be paved over by now...Like California is....

I call this palm the unlucky palm, also taken at Silver Springs last weekend.

They just had a big article in the Ocala Star Banner about this. Here is the one I found online:

http://www.ocala.com/article/20110315/ARTICLES/110319756

-Krishna

I think its only the Silver River that is the state park part, not the springs themselves.

Edited April 1, 2011 by krishnaraoji88

[Central Floridave]

Thanks for the link.

With this quote it tells me that it is all ready owned by The Great State of Florida:

"Palace has a lease with the state Department of Environmental Protection that runs until the end of 2029."

[Kailua_Krish]

I dont really understand then why there is the uncertainty of what will become of the place then.

-Krishna

[Central Floridave]

From the article it looks like the County government wants to take ownership over the State. Maybe the County can run it better than the current private company. I don't know otherwise. I hope it survives though. It is a very beautiful and historical site. The site has potential to maintain its charm and improve its attractiveness to tourist like me!

[Dave-Vero]

The land occupied by the Silver Springs theme park/tourist attraction was purchased by the State of Florida in 1993. Title is most likely held by the Trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund (strange name, but it's historic) and it looks as though the lease of the land to a private operator (see link) is handled by the Department of Environmental Protection, Division of State Lands. The DSL would be responsible for periodically monitoring the lease.

The Silver River State Park occupies some of the Silver River within the theme park area, but apparently not the spring itself. The Park continues along the Silver River and includes a big swath of unusual (for Florida) deciduous hardwood forest on fertile, phosphate-rich clay soil. It's a great place to see Shumard oaks and sugar maples next to Sabal palmetto. Sabal minor should be around, too. Rhapidophyllum hystrix probably isn't in the park, but can be seen at Juniper Springs in Ocala National Forest.Silver River itself has clear water and is a wonderful place for a small boat.

It looks as though the County government wants the state to turn management of the lease over to the County. The counter-idea of turning the spring over to the State Park might be costly. Buildings and parking lots would have to be demolished and replaced with vegetation. Restoring the spring itself would be difficult--it was a steamboat landing in the 19th century and has been a developed tourist attraction ever since.

[Kailua_Krish]

The land occupied by the Silver Springs theme park/tourist attraction was purchased by the State of Florida in 1993. Title is most likely held by the Trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund (strange name, but it's historic) and it looks as though the lease of the land to a private operator (see link) is handled by the Department of Environmental Protection, Division of State Lands. The DSL would be responsible for periodically monitoring the lease.

The Silver River State Park occupies some of the Silver River within the theme park area, but apparently not the spring itself. The Park continues along the Silver River and includes a big swath of unusual (for Florida) deciduous hardwood forest on fertile, phosphate-rich clay soil. It's a great place to see Shumard oaks and sugar maples next to Sabal palmetto. Sabal minor should be around, too. Rhapidophyllum hystrix probably isn't in the park, but can be seen at Juniper Springs in Ocala National Forest.Silver River itself has clear water and is a wonderful place for a small boat.

It looks as though the County government wants the state to turn management of the lease over to the County. The counter-idea of turning the spring over to the State Park might be costly. Buildings and parking lots would have to be demolished and replaced with vegetation. Restoring the spring itself would be difficult--it was a steamboat landing in the 19th century and has been a developed tourist attraction ever since.

Thanks for clearing that up! From what my understand has been of the process, the county wants to turn it into a state park, but still keep like the glass bottom boats and beach that are there, but get rid of like the zoo stuff.

-Krishna

P.S. For those who dont know, there is a population of wild rhesus monkeys that live along the spring/river here Its kind of a funny thing!

[nomolos]

a real individual