Sabal Tamaulipas

[SailorBold]

Is anyone else on Palm Talk growing Sabal Tamaulipas?  I planted 4 this spring and I have found them to be very fast growers. They are the only Sabals I have currently..

[CumberlandPlants]

I have had one in the ground here in the Nashville TN area for over a year now. Planted it in a really well drained spot in Full Sun. Protected it throughout last winter with a sheet and a weighted down box with no heat, it lost all of its fronds, but recovered  3 full fronds and has an almost fully formed 4th frond.  I was very surprised at how quickly it recovered since I did not give it any extra special attention through the growing season.  Planning on leaving it unprotected more this winter than last. Figure if it can handle teens pretty easy now. Last winter it took, -3F, some single digits, and a lot of teens with protection- it should do pretty well without protection unless we go into the single digits this winter, or if we have extended teens or colder without snow.

[sashaeffer]

I am here in Omaha, Nebraska (USA) been in the ground and protected last winter with simple poly dome greenhouse and string of mini Christmas lights. Palm is planted on South side of house, next to foundation. So far it has picked up speed this summer and has done well.

Can post pic later as it's still dark here as I write this.

Edited October 23, 2015 by sashaeffer
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[SailorBold]

Excellent..  I was searching for info on PT.. there is some but not a lot. Apparently these palms grow 10 feet tall ???  Ill believe it when I see it.. I have also read conflicting hardiness ratings..which worries me a bit but I guess we will have to see.  

I would love to see some pics.  I will protect them with old 5 gallon containers as they are still very small. 

[sashaeffer]

Has about doubled in size in 1 year. Sailed through 1 Winter already(with protection)

 

 

[sashaeffer]

From further away.

 

 

[JLeVert]

Here is S. 'Tamaulipas' in Augusta, GA:

 

 

Notice how the trunks crawl, sort of like Serenoa.  Other S. minor types don't do this in my experience.

 

 

[SailorBold]

Has about doubled in size in 1 year. Sailed through 1 Winter already(with protection)

 

 

Cool !  It looks like yours has a blue tint already. Mine has yet to show that characteristic. Is that typical? Do you have any other Sabals? 

[SailorBold]

Here is S. 'Tamaulipas' in Augusta, GA:

 

 

Notice how the trunks crawl, sort of like Serenoa.  Other S. minor types don't do this in my experience.

 

 

Wow!  Impressive...  Thanks for sharing.. how tall are those? and how old are they??

[JLeVert]

They are about 7' tall and have been in the ground for about 15 years.  The seeds are huge, but they are more reluctant to bear a lot of seed, unlike the other Sabals that I grow.  It's probably because they prefer more water than I give them.

 

 

Another picture of them from several years ago:

 

 

[sashaeffer]

Stunning palm you have there.. Glad you mentioned the watering, since I don't water mine as much as I should especially since mine is semi protected from eve of the house.

[JLeVert]

I'm growing in sand, so there is no way to water too much.  In clay, you might have to be more careful.  I don't know how 'Tamaulipas' would handle saturated soils.  S. minor does great in swampy conditions.

 

These are growing in a swamp near Augusta, GA.  They are submerged in the winter and spring.

 

[Vinc]

These palms look like they are closely related to Sabal minor (similar inflorescence and habitus), but leaves are more costapalmate and it is bigger in all its parts. Unfortunately, only a few information about this palm can be found in the internet. Anybody knows the exact location of its native habitat?

And does someone has some seeds or seedlings to sell?

[sashaeffer]

I bought mine on Ebay from vendor "Palmswholesale" AKA "cocoanut climber"   He doesn't show anymore for sale but that doesn't mean he doesn't. Best way is to send him a email and ask. I remember the old listing stating they are similar to Sabal Minor..but "on steroids" as far as growth speed.

While it did seemingly grow faster than minors I have in the ground, placement/protection comes into play. I will say fronds are much more blue in color than minor, or other sabals I have in the ground.

Hopefully comes through winter ok like last year and this next year it should really pick up some speed.

[smithgn]

I'm growing in sand, so there is no way to water too much.  In clay, you might have to be more careful.  I don't know how 'Tamaulipas' would handle saturated soils.  S. minor does great in swampy conditions.

 

These are growing in a swamp near Augusta, GA.  They are submerged in the winter and spring.

Are these sabal minors? The mostly undivided leaves look odd. Probably because they're still juvenile sabal minors?

[JLeVert]

In the above picture, those are S. minor in the swamp right along the Savannah River.  They are across the river from Augusta, GA in Beech Island, South Carolina.  They are there in the thousands.  S. 'Tamaulipas' is from Tamaulipas State in Mexico.  They grow at about 1,500' to 3,500', as best as I can remember, in mixed oak/pine forest.  Carl Schoenfeld said that the trunks creep along the ground like snakes.  Mine are just starting to do that.  They are heaving the soil up into a definite mound around the trunk and the top is heading out in a clear direction.  I have a friend that has S. 'Tamaulipas' in Anniston, AL, and his has survived 3F.  The latest I read from the palm experts is that S. 'Tamaulipas' is S. minor, but horticulturally, it has some obvious visual differences:  bigger leaves, creeping trunk, bigger seeds.  There are a number of variations in S. minor from the very small (Blountstown, Florida type) to huge (Cape Hatteras) to trunked (S. 'louisiana').

 

Here is S. minor in the Sumter National Forest north of Augusta, GA.  The brown on the tips of the leaves is the result of a controlled burn a few years ago.

 

 

 

[sashaeffer]

Great information, many thanks for sharing.

[smithgn]

Good stuff, Mr. Le Vert. Thanks for the pictures. It seems like the closer to the Savannah River you get the more abundant sabal minors are.

[JLeVert]

They actually don't grow too near the river, but stick to the tributary streams leading to it.  Probably the violence of the      Savannah River in flood would wipe them out.  They grow north of Augusta, GA up to Elbert County and in South Carolina, they grow up to around Newberry, SC (as far as I know).  Before the Savannah was dammed up forming Lakes Hartwell, Russell, and Clarkes Hill (Thurmond), who knows what the situation was. 

 

[Scot from SC]

This is a great thread gentlemen.  Nick, you can attest to the huge amount in the wild here in Greenwood County. I think they probably were in a lot of places before urbanization.

 

Sabal Tamaulipas is an awesome palm. I have three small ones, and I love the ones that you have in Augusta Joe. Louisiana is another fun variety of minor.

[JLeVert]

Here is S. 'Louisiana' in Savannah and Augusta:

 

 

 

[Scot from SC]

That is a beauty Joe! Thanks for sharing. How old was it when you planted it? What is its age in ground?

[southpacific73]

Awesome looking palm!! I am a sabal lover here in the pacific northwest and I envy all of you southeasterners that get to enjoy them day after day and so many varieties. Thanks for the pictures!

[JLeVert]

I planted them when they were in a 2 gal. container.  The bottom one came from Woodlanders in Aiken, SC.  The Augusta one (bottom) was planted about 1991 and the Savannah one (top) was planted in 2004.  

 

By the way, this is my backyard, which is a Sabal feast:

 

And this is the school where I teach....right before a big storm this summer.

 

[SailorBold]

neat....

[Scot from SC]

I can attest to Joe's school and yard...simply awesome! We had the Spring meeting there, and when I was walking around I felt like I was somewhere tropical!

I think the growth rate of those is pretty fast...that trunk is nice!

 

[JLeVert]

By the way, in the upper of the two school slides, the Sabal closest to the viewer is S. uresana.  It has done really well here.  It had to be moved once because of construction and has gone through 13F and several snow and ice storms and just keeps perking along.  Good palm for here. 

 

[smithgn]

On ‎11‎/‎9‎/‎2015‎ ‎9‎:‎59‎:‎01‎, Scot from SC said:

This is a great thread gentlemen.  Nick, you can attest to the huge amount in the wild here in Greenwood County. I think they probably were in a lot of places before urbanization.

 

Sabal Tamaulipas is an awesome palm. I have three small ones, and I love the ones that you have in Augusta Joe. Louisiana is another fun variety of minor.

Yes, tons in Greenwood in that particular place we saw. I'd love to go back this fall and explore even deeper and see how many there really are! I still have to show you that place in Lexington where those minors are, right off of that bridge

 

JLeVert- That makes sense that they're present that far north in Georgia. I've heard they even go as far north as Anderson county in South Carolina, although I have yet to see it with my own eyes. I plan on doing some sabal minor hunting this winter around where I live, a lot easier to see in the woods with less leaves on trees.

[JLeVert]

The wintertime is the best time for looking for S. minor.  Snakes are sleeping!

[905palms]

Great thread agreed!  I'm growing a few Tammy seedlings up here.  I was tempted to plant my 2 yr old one in the ground this year. Now I know that this fall is a rather El Nino mild one so far, hind sight is 20 20... coulda woulda shoulda... I guess.

[Brad Mondel]

What part of Anderson county may they be native to? I'm buying a house there and would like to go minor hunting.

[SailorBold]

My palms ended up being chamaerops..  very not happy..and still not. as it was purchased and placed for a sabal as a sabal. Lol.. 

Not sure what I should do... but if the nursery that sold these to me is reading this.. know.. just know. I know you gave me a store credit..but sort of not the same is it?

Ok.. i vented.

[Fusca]

4 hours ago, SailorBold said:

My palms ended up being chamaerops

Completely understand - you lost 4 years of growing.  Did you ever get a Sabal - either this or a different species?

[SailorBold]

So upset by the whole situation.. technically the nursery that sold them needs to readjust their percentage of their plant guarantee.   smh.  I guess Ill leave them where they are.  I have not added any other sabals yet.  I still would like to pick up a few of these and some mexicana.. or try a uresana.   

[Fusca]

I was thinking S. uresana or mexicana for your area also - uresana handle hot and dry conditions well and can probably handle your dry cold.

[Jubaea_James760]

I feel your pain. Very frustrating indeed.. just f.y.i,  Plant Delights has some Sabal Tamaulipas. I ordered 2 in February. 

[Jubaea_James760]

I agree, Sabal uresana may be a good choice. 

[JLeVert]

Here is Sabal uresana in Augusta, GA.  Moved in 2008 to its present location.

[RJ]

 Nice color too, joe. 
 

need to get a couple of those. Did I mention nice color 

[Jubaea_James760]

Wow that Uresana looks amazing!