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Fastest growing Sabal?


ZPalms

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I keep looking around on here on different forum post about how fast different sabals grow but theirs always conflicting responses that people all have different experiences but is their one sabal species that is for sure the fastest on a general basis?

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From what I've read I believe the general consensus is that s. causiarum is the fastest,  but like you said I'm sure plenty of people may have different opinions based on their own growing experiences

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9 minutes ago, NC_Palm_Enthusiast said:

From what I've read I believe the general consensus is that s. causiarum is the fastest,  but like you said I'm sure plenty of people may have different opinions based on their own growing experiences

I guess I should grab one of each species and just watch them all :floor:

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3 minutes ago, ZPalms said:

I guess I should grab one of each species and just watch them all :floor:

As long as you have plenty of patience lol.  I imagine @PalmatierMeg would have some good insight into this as she grows many different sabal species on her property

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1 minute ago, NC_Palm_Enthusiast said:

As long as you have plenty of patience lol.  I imagine @PalmatierMeg would have some good insight into this as she grows many different sabal species on her property

I usually like to think of young sabals as sabal minors for a while like a bush so it's no bother to me to have some patience for them to get close to tree stature, but definitely would like to learn some insight on different sabals

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Fastest for me is Sabal Causiarum,  followed by Riverside & Blackburniana. I have several Sabals in the ground so the list could change once more start settling in. 

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Hesperia,Southern CA (High Desert area). Zone 8b

Elevation; about 3600 ft.

Lowest temp. I can expect each year 19/20*f lowest since I've been growing palms *13(2007) Hottest temp. Each year *106

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The 'secret' to Sabal growth is high night temperatures, preferably above 65F for 3 months or so.  These are the Sabals growing in Augusta, GA.  All are mature and reproducing.  In terms of size, causiarum has been the fastest.  In terms of precociousness, rosei has produced seeds at the youngest age for a real trunking Sabal.  Minor, Louisiana, Tamaulipas also produce seeds within 4 years from seed.

Sabal species at Aquinas High School, Augusta, GA:

causiarum, etonia, louisiana, mexicana, minor, palmetto, rosei, uresana (silver and green), Tamaulipas, 'Riverside', x texensis, palmetto x causiarum

 

Pictures in descending order:  uresana, palmetto x causiarum, causiarum

IMG_1036.thumb.JPG.5f6b9bec0813f25522653c2e9b3c5687.JPG

IMG_1055.thumb.JPG.8fe501ba7ef2568815ac4cf4b1a5d466.JPGSa7XfIoWfWQBq2AedhuyoJ2Q.thumb.jpg.f20a5c7b29b075b3b5e978c52a372bc2.jpg

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Joseph C. Le Vert

Augusta, GA

USA

Zone 8

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Sabal mauritiiformis is the fastest but it's also the MOST tropical, and least cold hardy.

I like Sabal louisiana for hardiness and growth rate, I also like Sabal bermudana but not quite as cold hardy as the louisiana.  

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4 hours ago, oasis371 said:

Sabal mauritiiformis is the fastest but it's also the MOST tropical, and least cold hardy.

I like Sabal louisiana for hardiness and growth rate, I also like Sabal bermudana but not quite as cold hardy as the louisiana.  

Wow my Mauritiiformis germination to seedling is in a whole other world slow. Compared to Causiarum its no comparison. Causiarum are 3 leafers compared to single leaf in the same time frame. I agree Mauritiiformis is hands down the most tropical looking, unfortunately not nearly as cold hardy. My S.Louisiana puts out as many leafs as my Causiarum both potted. S.Riverisde is pretty darn fast maybe not Robusta fast but great growth for a sabal for sure 

T J 

 

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T J 

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I think I'll give Sabal Causiarum and riverside a try since that seems to be the major consensus amongst everyone! Thanks everyone! Doesn't rule out other sabals but I want to get these guys first! :greenthumb:

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7 minutes ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

Just do a sabal row like @PalmatierMeg did. It is Internationally known =) 

T J 

Maybe in future, I don't know where i'll end up and I don't wanna leave my trees behind if I were to move if I planted lots :P

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9 minutes ago, ZPalms said:

Maybe in future, I don't know where i'll end up and I don't wanna leave my trees behind if I were to move if I planted lots :P

The more palms you plant the better the world will be haha 

T J 

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T J 

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1 minute ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

The more palms you plant the better the world will be haha 

T J 

I'm more afraid of leaving palms behind and have them not taken care of or abused or removed :floor: the thought of that makes me sad :innocent:

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On 6/20/2021 at 8:50 AM, JLeVert said:

The 'secret' to Sabal growth is high night temperatures, preferably above 65F for 3 months or so.  These are the Sabals growing in Augusta, GA.  All are mature and reproducing.  In terms of size, causiarum has been the fastest.  In terms of precociousness, rosei has produced seeds at the youngest age for a real trunking Sabal.  Minor, Louisiana, Tamaulipas also produce seeds within 4 years from seed.

Sabal species at Aquinas High School, Augusta, GA:

causiarum, etonia, louisiana, mexicana, minor, palmetto, rosei, uresana (silver and green), Tamaulipas, 'Riverside', x texensis, palmetto x causiarum

 

Pictures in descending order:  uresana, palmetto x causiarum, causiarum

IMG_1036.thumb.JPG.5f6b9bec0813f25522653c2e9b3c5687.JPG

IMG_1055.thumb.JPG.8fe501ba7ef2568815ac4cf4b1a5d466.JPGSa7XfIoWfWQBq2AedhuyoJ2Q.thumb.jpg.f20a5c7b29b075b3b5e978c52a372bc2.jpg

Sabal minor, sabal Louisiana, sabal tamaulipas from seed to mature producing seed in 4 years? Seems too fast, must be sabal heaven there!

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I've had numerous palmetto here in Atlanta.

1. All hurricane cut palms will die here.

2. Water makes a big difference. My largest was sitting next to the A/C drip line. 

3. The largest (now removed) looked like it was causiarum. Likely since the guy I bought it from often mixed up his plants and never marked anything.

I believe that automatic watering in summer is a requirement.

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4 hours ago, SeanK said:

I've had numerous palmetto here in Atlanta.

1. All hurricane cut palms will die here.

2. Water makes a big difference. My largest was sitting next to the A/C drip line. 

3. The largest (now removed) looked like it was causiarum. Likely since the guy I bought it from often mixed up his plants and never marked anything.

I believe that automatic watering in summer is a requirement.

I hand water with a watering can pretty much daily for my palmetto but I'll skip a day if it rains and I keep the soil moist at all times never letting it dry out

Edited by ZPalms
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In my experience, the fastest growing Sabal reliable in 8A is S. Mexicana. Mine grows about a foot a year despite 8A winters, but the 95F summer days probably help, too.

The good news for those growing the weaker strain (18F leaf hardy) like me: it survived a low of 2F. So, it seems the bud hardiness is still intact compared to the 12F leaf hardy version

Edited by Advective
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  • 2 weeks later...

So for my area (hope mills NC) what would be my best picks for sabals? I've been very confused on what kind I should get since I'm unsure if causiarum can survive here

Edited by ZPalms
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1 hour ago, ZPalms said:

So for my area (hope mills NC) what would be my best picks for sabals? I've been very confused on what kind I should get since I'm unsure if causiarum can survive here

Your only safe bets for trunking sabals would probably be palmetto, Mexicana, uresana highlands form, and of course Birmingham and brazoria. Gary’s Nursery in New Bern carries all of those except for Mexicana. 
 

 Don’t let that keep you from experimenting with the more tender varieties, though. With those you just have to come to terms with the possibility that they may well croak after a bad winter.

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1 hour ago, NC_Palm_Enthusiast said:

Your only safe bets for trunking sabals would probably be palmetto, Mexicana, uresana highlands form, and of course Birmingham and brazoria. Gary’s Nursery in New Bern carries all of those except for Mexicana. 
 

 Don’t let that keep you from experimenting with the more tender varieties, though. With those you just have to come to terms with the possibility that they may well croak after a bad winter.

Thank you! I'm gonna go with Mexicana and maybe try ureasana cause the blue is pretty cool! I'll still try and experiment with the other trees but I'm gonna listen to everyone and get a stable few first before going nuts with other types :P I do wish their was a sabal that trunks sooner than 10 years :P

Edited by ZPalms
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14 hours ago, ZPalms said:

Thank you! I'm gonna go with Mexicana and maybe try ureasana cause the blue is pretty cool! I'll still try and experiment with the other trees but I'm gonna listen to everyone and get a stable few first before going nuts with other types :P I do wish their was a sabal that trunks sooner than 10 years :P

Gary Hollar swears his 3 gal palmettos start trunking no more than three years after being planted in full sun. I planted one just last year, so I can’t yet confirm

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1 hour ago, NC_Palm_Enthusiast said:

Gary Hollar swears his 3 gal palmettos start trunking no more than three years after being planted in full sun. I planted one just last year, so I can’t yet confirm

How do you know when they start trunking? when they got the little wooden bits on them? cause if thats the case mine is 3 years old and has the wooden bits on it already too :huh: hmm

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8 hours ago, ZPalms said:

How do you know when they start trunking? when they got the little wooden bits on them? cause if thats the case mine is 3 years old and has the wooden bits on it already too :huh: hmm

Do you have a picture?  Palmettos are monocots, so they don't increase trunk diameter over time like a typical tree.  Instead they grow their full trunk diameter before they began to gain much height.  So,  it should be pretty obvious once your plant starts trunking

 

 

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5 minutes ago, NC_Palm_Enthusiast said:

Do you have a picture?  Palmettos are monocots, so they don't increase trunk diameter over time like a typical tree.  Instead they grow their full trunk diameter before they began to gain much height.  So,  it should be pretty obvious once your plant starts trunking

 

 

I have this one that I already posted once, It's dark outside so it would be hard to get a picture but above the heel it has the wooden bit and it has another one on the other side but I don't know what I would consider that if I could consider that it's trunk? They are solid like wood

IMG_5504.jpg

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1 hour ago, ZPalms said:

I have this one that I already posted once, It's dark outside so it would be hard to get a picture but above the heel it has the wooden bit and it has another one on the other side but I don't know what I would consider that if I could consider that it's trunk? They are solid like wood

IMG_5504.jpg

That one is definitely not trunking yet, the wooden part just appears to be part of the heel 

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What does a young trunking sabal palmetto look like? Does it expand in width at the base

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43 minutes ago, ZPalms said:

What does a young trunking sabal palmetto look like? Does it expand in width at the base

It’s looks rather like a Sabal minor.

Everyone in zone 8a and 8b ( in the south) should be mass planting Sabal Palmetto as yard specimens. Regardless of speed, in 10-15 years you will have a nice tree form. They are the only arborescent palm in my yard that was not blasted by 4F. My largest two almost remained green while everything else looked like a wildfire engulfed them. A significant number of windmills under 10FT died while the taller ones while mostly torched have a higher percentage of survival.?

one of my Sabal Palmettos after a week at or below 32F with ultimate low of 4F.

D1F780DB-CA5A-4532-99AA-78198CED6383.jpeg

Edited by Collectorpalms
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Current Texas Gardening Zone 9a, Mean (1999-2024): 22F Low/104F High. Yearly Precipitation 39.17 inches.

Extremes: Low Min 4F 2021, 13.8F 2024. High Max 112F 2011/2023, Precipitation Max 58 inches 2015, Lowest 19 Inches 2011.

Weather Station: https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/KTXCOLLE465

Ryan (Paleoclimatologist Since 4 billion Years ago, Meteorologist/Earth Scientist/Physicist Since 1995, Savy Horticulturist Since Birth.)

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42 minutes ago, ZPalms said:

What does a young trunking sabal palmetto look like? Does it expand in width at the base

483BB5C1-962C-4F79-BC82-519047FC1FB2.thumb.jpeg.9523b03f36f0af59c684dccf00a0fc0e.jpeg

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9 hours ago, NC_Palm_Enthusiast said:

483BB5C1-962C-4F79-BC82-519047FC1FB2.thumb.jpeg.9523b03f36f0af59c684dccf00a0fc0e.jpeg

Mixed plantings with some mature palmettos and some younger ones like in your picture look fantastic IMO 

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Mexicana is less cold hardy than palmetto. I would flood the one you have every day from April 15th to Nov 1st. Give it some fertilizer 2 of 3 times (Mar, May, Jul).

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Here is a Sabal palmetto just beginning to trunk in 7B Williamsburg VA. I collected the seed almost 30 years ago at Vistana resort in Central Florida near Orlando.  I agree with @NC_Palm_Enthusiast that Gary's Nursery in New Bern is a good place to start.  He has 5 or 6 species of Sabal in 3 gallon pots or bigger.  

SPalmettoTrunking.jpg

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