Wild S. Minor on MD Eastern Shore?

[Saltydog]

I spoke with a Maryland game warden yesterday who told me that he found a grove of apparently wild sabal minor growing in the woods in Dorchester County near the town of Hurlock (Eastern Shore / Delmarva Peninsula - Zone 7A). I find this to be somewhat implausible, as it’s my understanding that the nearest naturally occurring S Minor is on Monkey Island in northeast NC about 100 miles south.  I’m not even aware of S Minor occurring in Dismal Swamp at the VA-NC border (only unsubstantiated reports). Perhaps someone spread some seed? Anybody else heard of such a thing?

[Joe NC]

12 minutes ago, Saltydog said:

 Perhaps someone spread some seed? Anybody else heard of such a thing?

Heard of someone spreading palm seeds?  Yes.

Many "Johnny Palmseed" stories on this forum.  I am guilty of creating a Sabal grove in the wooded area behind my house...…

Also it is plausible that some hungry birds at the fruit of a minor growing in somebody's yard nearby and deposited them in suitable forest habitat.      

[knikfar]

The minors here in Raleigh seed like crazy. Every plant has tons of babies all around them. So it wouldn't surprise me at all if a bird dropped some from a local garden minor. 

[knikfar]

On 7/1/2021 at 11:31 AM, Joe NC said:

Heard of someone spreading palm seeds?  Yes.

Many "Johnny Palmseed" stories on this forum.  I am guilty of creating a Sabal grove in the wooded area behind my house...…

Also it is plausible that some hungry birds at the fruit of a minor growing in somebody's yard nearby and deposited them in suitable forest habitat.      

Yay to your sabal grove! I'd like to do that here in Raleigh.

[Sabal King]

1 hour ago, knikfar said:

Yay to your sabal grove! I'd like to do that here in Raleigh.

Soon as any of my sabals start putting out seed there will be random sabal groves popping up around here.  Can't wait.

[Alex High]

On 7/1/2021 at 11:11 AM, Saltydog said:

I spoke with a Maryland game warden yesterday who told me that he found a grove of apparently wild sabal minor growing in the woods in Dorchester County near the town of Hurlock (Eastern Shore / Delmarva Peninsula - Zone 7A). I find this to be somewhat implausible, as it’s my understanding that the nearest naturally occurring S Minor is on Monkey Island in northeast NC about 100 miles south.  I’m not even aware of S Minor occurring in Dismal Swamp at the VA-NC border (only unsubstantiated reports). Perhaps someone spread some seed? Anybody else heard of such a thing?

Very interesting, thanks for sharing, I remember seeing this interesting picture on iNaturalist of a nice palm growing in the middle of the woods in Janes Island State Park on the southwestern part of the Eastern Shore of Maryland. It was originally identified as a Sabal minor on iNaturalist but was updated to be described as a needle palm as it has tomentum on it. Looks like a needle palm to me but there are so few homes around there at all to say nothing of palms that I would really be surprised if it was escaped from cultivation. I really want to go and see it but I haven't had the time yet, hopefully soon! Thoughts? Thanks and take care!

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/38070621

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[SEVA]

On 7/8/2021 at 7:59 PM, PalmsUSA said:

Very interesting, thanks for sharing, I remember seeing this interesting picture on iNaturalist of a nice palm growing in the middle of the woods in Janes Island State Park on the southwestern part of the Eastern Shore of Maryland. It was originally identified as a Sabal minor on iNaturalist but was updated to be described as a needle palm as it has tomentum on it. Looks like a needle palm to me but there are so few homes around there at all to say nothing of palms that I would really be surprised if it was escaped from cultivation. I really want to go and see it but I haven't had the time yet, hopefully soon! Thoughts? Thanks and take care!

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/38070621

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I think I found it. I tried to zoom in from the trail.

[Henoh]

Looks like a needle palm. 

Edited August 18, 2021 by Henoh

[DCA_Palm_Fan]

17 hours ago, SEVA said:

I think I found it. I tried to zoom in from the trail.

Thats awsome!   Also, thats 100% Needle Palm.  No doubt about it.  

[DCA_Palm_Fan]

On 7/1/2021 at 11:11 AM, Saltydog said:

I spoke with a Maryland game warden yesterday who told me that he found a grove of apparently wild sabal minor growing in the woods in Dorchester County near the town of Hurlock (Eastern Shore / Delmarva Peninsula - Zone 7A). I find this to be somewhat implausible, as it’s my understanding that the nearest naturally occurring S Minor is on Monkey Island in northeast NC about 100 miles south.  I’m not even aware of S Minor occurring in Dismal Swamp at the VA-NC border (only unsubstantiated reports). Perhaps someone spread some seed? Anybody else heard of such a thing?

Very cool!  I'm from Washington D.C. and have spent LOADS of time on and around the Chesapeake bay / Eastern Shore / DelMarVa.  In fact I grew up on the bay.   While they are not native to the area, they can easily survive no problem.   S. Minor are fairly common in the Va Beach area and I'm very confident that they are natrualising down there.

I planted one at my old house in Alexandria VA, close to the Potomac river, and it is still there. Its now a decade old.  Its a great size now and has been seeding every year since about 2012.  You can even see it on google streetview.   The point is that they can def easily survive 7A/b  areas no problem.   Either a person, or a bird distrubuted the seeds where yours were found, but im glad to know they are now out there in the wild!  

pic is from google streetview.  Link to it included 

209 E Duncan Ave - Google Maps

[Stevejr]

On 7/8/2021 at 11:34 AM, tlow said:

Soon as any of my sabals start putting out seed there will be random sabal groves popping up around here.  Can't wait.

I’m growing sabal minor’s successfully in Bayside (Queens), NY, Z7b without any winter protection. I scattered some seed this past Fall in the local woods. It would be amazing to see a grove of sabal’s popping up in a few years in Queens of all places!