Distance Between Sabals

[ahosey01]

Buying three Sabal uresana from @TexasColdHardyPalms and I want to plant them as close as possible in my back yard in a particular area.  However - these things get giant crowns.  How close can I plant them?

[Allen]

How close and recommend distance are two different things.  Many palms can be planted super close to each other, it just depends what you expect down the road.  So clarify if you want to plant as close as possible and have the plants grow the crown together or plant where they don't touch down the road.

[ahosey01]

11 minutes ago, Allen said:

How close and recommend distance are two different things.  Many palms can be planted super close to each other, it just depends what you expect down the road.  So clarify if you want to plant as close as possible and have the plants grow the crown together or plant where they don't touch down the road.

These aren’t naturally clumping palms, so I don’t want them to be RIGHT on top of each other.  But what I find in the literature is that they grow in groves in narrow canyons or on the banks of rivers, typically close together and often with crowns overlapping on the edges.

I don’t mind that the crowns touch. I’d like them to be close enough that they will form a little canopy you could walk under and be shaded.

Edited August 16, 2020 by ahosey01

[DAVEinMB]

@ahosey01 a good starting point would be average crown diameter for uresana given your growing conditions. Once you know that you can figure out a desired crown overlap and plant accordingly

[ahosey01]

12 minutes ago, DAVEinMB said:

@ahosey01 a good starting point would be average crown diameter for uresana given your growing conditions. Once you know that you can figure out a desired crown overlap and plant accordingly

I agree with this approach, but that’s kind of my question still, just phrased with more precision that the first way I asked - what constitutes a good amount of overlap vs. not good with these palms? Is it purely owner preference or is there some relationship to overlap and the palm’s ability to photosynthesize at the same rate?

Edited August 16, 2020 by ahosey01

[SailorBold]

Quick question..Is Uresana the Sabal with the largest crown? I understand the growing conditions change that.. say if they are planted in shade etc.. 

How big do the crowns actually get?  I guess the other point would be is how long would it take to get there.. 

Unrelated.. but my filifera triplet is still way too close.. as filifera can get massive.  Again I didn't think of it..or the area I planted them didn't allow it.. i just hope it works the way it is. I suppose if you have 3 palms that develop a 20 foot crown.. and you want overlap for shade below with the 8 foot leaves..proper spacing would be a 16 foot triangle? Or bigger?  I dunno.. i don't have enough area in my yard to do that. Just for thought tho.

[Allen]

I'm not much help on the distance issue but the other issue to consider is how long you're living there and the expected time to reach trunking size.  My palms I'm thinking out in the 10-20 year time frame.  Small sabal may take a VERY long time to mature.

[ahosey01]

2 hours ago, SailorBold said:

Quick question..Is Uresana the Sabal with the largest crown? I understand the growing conditions change that.. say if they are planted in shade etc.. 

How big do the crowns actually get?  I guess the other point would be is how long would it take to get there.. 

Unrelated.. but my filifera triplet is still way too close.. as filifera can get massive.  Again I didn't think of it..or the area I planted them didn't allow it.. i just hope it works the way it is. I suppose if you have 3 palms that develop a 20 foot crown.. and you want overlap for shade below with the 8 foot leaves..proper spacing would be a 16 foot triangle? Or bigger?  I dunno.. i don't have enough area in my yard to do that. Just for thought tho.

I’m not sure if they’re the Sabals with the largest crowns, but I know they’re giant.  Photos I can find look bigger than W. filifera even. They should be growing in pretty optimal conditions here.  I have like this sand/silt soil in that part of the yard that drains well, full blazing sun and I’m gonna throw all the water at them.  The yard is pretty big - little under half an acre - so we have some space.

1 hour ago, Allen said:

I'm not much help on the distance issue but the other issue to consider is how long you're living there and the expected time to reach trunking size.  My palms I'm thinking out in the 10-20 year time frame.  Small sabal may take a VERY long time to mature.

Yeah... I don’t plan on ever selling this place.  It’ll be paid off in 5 years or less and at that point if I ever want to move I’m just going to get a second house rather than sell this one.  We built the interior specifically to be as timeless as we could and to age well without having to make major upgrades.

Edited August 16, 2020 by ahosey01

[DAVEinMB]

3 hours ago, ahosey01 said:

I agree with this approach, but that’s kind of my question still, just phrased with more precision that the first way I asked - what constitutes a good amount of overlap vs. not good with these palms? Is it purely owner preference or is there some relationship to overlap and the palm’s ability to photosynthesize at the same rate?

I gotcha, my understanding is in order for uresanas to maintain their grey foliage they require full sun. Multiple sources also say these guys love heat (as is the common case with sabals). That said, if you are siting them in an open location crown overlap will likely be more of a preference as i doubt it will be enough to define them as shade grown trees... however I am no expert. 

As for crown size I'm gonna have to do some digging. If they're anything like the palmettos growing here it could be a roll of the dice...

[PalmatierMeg]

Check this Sabal out on Palmpedia

http://www.palmpedia.net/wiki/Sabal_uresana

Palmpedia indicates the crown is 14-16' wide. I would want them far enough apart that their leaves don't interfere with one another.

[Allen]

1 hour ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Check this Sabal out on Palmpedia

http://www.palmpedia.net/wiki/Sabal_uresana

Palmpedia indicates the crown is 14-16' wide. I would want them far enough apart that their leaves don't interfere with one another.

That should give the OP some good size and age photos.  It's a nice palm for sure

[Collectorpalms]

I have Sabal Uresana Texas zone 8b, that’s just developing a trunk. They get huge leaves before they start trunking. They also get more gray/silver with age. So far Mine is not as silvery as Peckerwoods gardens which is 35 miles to my south. They have  neutral soil PH mine is high PH. I would space them 15 feet to touch or 20 to give some space. Also yes they all need to be given equal sun, Preferable full sun. 

[ahosey01]

10 hours ago, Collectorpalms said:

I have Sabal Uresana Texas zone 8b, that’s just developing a trunk. They get huge leaves before they start trunking. They also get more gray/silver with age. So far Mine is not as silvery as Peckerwoods gardens which is 35 miles to my south. They have  neutral soil PH mine is high PH. I would space them 15 feet to touch or 20 to give some space. Also yes they all need to be given equal sun, Preferable full sun. 

This is good. A hard number is what I was looking for. I’ll measure a 15ft equilateral triangle and plant accordingly.