A Palm Grows in Atlanta

[SeanK]

I usually see Sabal minor seedlings popping up around the yard. Beneath Trachycarpus, I'll see seedlings, but not so many as S.minor. 

This palm popped up about two summers ago. I thought it was Trachycarpus, but recently decided differently. Any guesses?

[Las Palmas Norte]

  On 3/16/2025 at 3:28 PM, SeanK said:

...This palm popped up about two summers ago. I thought it was Trachycarpus, but recently decided differently. ...

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What evidence convinced you to conclude it's not Trachycarpus? What do you believe it could be?

[SeanK]

  On 3/16/2025 at 4:22 PM, Las Palmas Norte said:

What evidence convinced you to conclude it's not Trachycarpus? What do you believe it could be?

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Strap leaves to wide and stiff 

[Zone7Bpalmguy]

@SeanK I thought it was a needle palm but from the side looks like a windmill palm. I'm guessing windmill palm. It should produce divided fronds fairly quickly and that will be one clue that it is a windmill. 

[SeanK]

I'm thinking Needle Palm right now.  Trachycarpus could stay in that spot, but Needles get pretty wide here 

[LeonardHolmes]

I've never seen needle palm volunteers.  I see seeds, but I have also never seen male blooms.  I'm guessing it's a Trachy. Let us know in a couple of years...

[SeanK]

  On 3/18/2025 at 12:21 AM, LeonardHolmes said:

I've never seen needle palm volunteers.  I see seeds, but I have also never seen male blooms.  I'm guessing it's a Trachy. Let us know in a couple of years...

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I have adult males and females. I've never seen volunteers either, but they grow in the wild w/o human intervention.

[LeonardHolmes]

Good point!

[FilthyFiveHole]

Rhapidophyllum hystrix, needle palm seedling. 

[FilthyFiveHole]

First is needle seedlings, second is trachycarpus.

[LeonardHolmes]

Nice! And hard to tell apart (based on the picture).

[Mazat]

  On 3/16/2025 at 3:28 PM, SeanK said:

Normalerweise sehe ich überall im Garten Sämlinge von Sabal minor auftauchen. Unter Trachycarpus sehe ich auch Sämlinge, aber nicht so viele wie bei S. minor. 

Diese Palme tauchte vor etwa zwei Sommern auf. Ich dachte, es sei Trachycarpus, habe mich aber kürzlich anders entschieden. Hat jemand eine Vermutung?

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yes, this is a trachycarpus fortunei. 
a beautiful specimen. i saw several young specimens at my uncle's on monday and he leaves them inside. he's right, it's his property ... but the other one is a completely different story here 😁

[vlc]

  On 3/16/2025 at 3:28 PM, SeanK said:

I usually see Sabal minor seedlings popping up around the yard. Beneath Trachycarpus, I'll see seedlings, but not so many as S.minor. 

This palm popped up about two summers ago. I thought it was Trachycarpus, but recently decided differently. Any guesses?

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Nice! I wonder why it sprouted right there - does it have any protection from the winter? I have a similar situation, I am in north Atlanta (8a), and also had a seedling of Sabal Palmetto pop up. However, I had to relocate it because it was growing too close to the house, now I am a little worried it won't survive the winters here because of its new location (about 5 feet from another tree that has formed a small canopy). Any thoughts appreciated!

[Zone7Bpalmguy]

  On 4/2/2025 at 12:07 PM, vlc said:

Nice! I wonder why it sprouted right there - does it have any protection from the winter? I have a similar situation, I am in north Atlanta (8a), and also had a seedling of Sabal Palmetto pop up. However, I had to relocate it because it was growing too close to the house, now I am a little worried it won't survive the winters here because of its new location (about 5 feet from another tree that has formed a small canopy). Any thoughts appreciated!

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Here's mine north of you about 100 miles in a colder zone.  

Yours should be fine, assuming the transplant won't bother it. 

[vlc]

  On 4/3/2025 at 12:35 AM, Zone7Bpalmguy said:

Here's mine north of you about 100 miles in a colder zone.  

Yours should be fine, assuming the transplant won't bother it. 

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Love that! Yours has the protection of a wall though, mine sprouted from a seedling about a year ago , next to a wall, now it has only two leaves about 10" long each. I had to transplant it into a more open area - with one tree about 5 feet away on the left side, with slight canopy hovering over it (that tree loses all of its leaves in the winter though), and the left side is just open space with lawn. Not sure if I should transplant it closer to the tree - it would mean more shade in the summer, but also potentially more protection in the winter? Thanks again!