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Sabal (Hardy Palmetto)
Despite many species being US native plants, these gems are often overlooked as an important part of a native plant garden. Forever pushing the limits of cold hardiness to bring new plants to you, we have assembled this group of the primarily subtropical genus sabal from various seed sources. Grow palmettos in a mixed border for their dramatic bold foliage, or as specimens to amaze your friends and relatives.
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Sabal 'Birmingham' (Birmingham Palmetto)
Sun to Light Shade Zone: 7-10 180" tall Origin: USA Hybrid
This has been one of the most talked-about palms in the hardy palm groups for years. The original palm, grown from California-supplied seed, survived for more than 40 years in a private garden before being moved to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens in Alabama in 1976. The fronds appear similar to, but slightly coarser than, a Sabal palmetto. Eventually this palm will get a trunk, but nothing the size of a typical palmetto. The original palm died (after too many re-locations) within the garden. All plants are seed-grown from the original offspring distributed by Woodlanders. Many experts feel this is possibly a hybrid between S. mexicana and S. palmetto. We recommend protection...for the palm...during the first couple of winters. Our plants are 2-year-old seedlings. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #04084
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Sabal mexicana Dallas Form (Mexican Fan Palm)
SunZone: 8-10, possibly colder 480" tall Origin: USA, Mexico
Open House/Web-Only!
This selection of Sabal mexicana is from seed collected from fruiting-sized plants growing in Dallas, Texas. The 40' tall heat-tolerant palms have large costapalmate leaves adorned with tangled white threads. We typically expect the Mexican forms of Sabal mexicana to lose their foliage around 15 degrees F, so we look forward to trying these outdoors to see if they are any hardier than the Mexican material which is typically in the trade. This is a limited offering, so if you like to experiment with hardy palms, don't miss out. Seed for this unusual offering came to us from Alabama plantsman Hayes Jackson. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #07967
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Sabal minor 'Bear Creek' (Bear Creek Scrub Palmetto)
Sun to Light ShadeZone: 7-10, at least 48" tall Origin: USA
Open House/Web-Only!
I was very surprised to see this westernmost population of Sabal minor in 2003 in Kendall County, Texas, near the famed town of Luckenbach (north of San Antonio). Here, Sabal minor grew along an oft-flooding creek below giant bald cypress, which were nestled into a steep valley below the dry desert. The palm leaflets seemed a bit narrower and the leaves more costapalmate (folding in the center) than I remembered on other Sabal minor. Additionally, several of the plants had more than 1' of aboveground trunk. The 7' tall, very upright flower spikes were much taller than what I usually see in the east. Thanks to Texas plantsman Steve Lowe for his help in visiting the palms and securing seed. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #06878
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Sabal minor 'Blountstown Dwarf' (Blountstown Dwarf Scrub Palmetto)
Sun to Light ShadeZone: 7-10, at least 18" tall Origin: USA
Open House/Web-Only!
These are seedlings from a very dwarf palm found in Blountstown, Florida (just west of Tallahassee), that were shared with us by Sabal palm guru Dr. Kyle Brown of Florida. The parent plant matures out at 18" tall...a rock garden palm! We can't promise that each will all be as dwarf as the parent, but so far, this is looking to be the case. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #07248
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Sabal minor 'Emerald Island Giant' (Giant Scrub Palmetto)
Sun to Light ShadeZone: 7-10 84" tall Origin: USA
These extraordinary Sabal minors originated from coastal NC near Emerald Isle, where they were rescued from a construction site by NC palm enthusiast Alan Brunner. They were subsequently planted in many of the Raleigh area city parks. These Sabal minors are radically different in growth habit and size than most other forms. Although these are much slower-growing, producing only one to two leaves per year, they will eventually reach 7' tall x 10' wide with huge 5'+ wide leaves. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #06684
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Sabal minor 'McCurtain' (McCurtain Scrub Palm)
Sun to Light ShadeZone: 6-10, possibly colder 72" tall Origin: USA
Open House/Web-Only!
We are pleased to offer seedlings from an extremely vigorous natural stand of Sabal minor in McCurtain County, Oklahoma, just west of Folsom, Arkansas, near the Red River. According to the late Logan Calhoun (our seed source), seedlings of this population have survived temperatures of -24 degrees F in Wichita and are producing seed. These will be great for experimental gardeners who like to push the hardiness limits...our offerings are second-year seedlings. These grow much faster than normal S. minor. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #02006
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Sabal minor 'Oriental Giant' (Oriental Giant Scrub Palmetto)
Sun to Light ShadeZone: 7-10, at least 120" tall Origin: USA
Open House/Web-Only!
In 2006, I was fortunate to accompany palm guru Gary Hollar to see the 10' tall giant Sabal minors growing in the Pamlico County, NC town of Oriental. We are pleased to offer seedlings from this special site, which with time and good growing conditions should achieve a similar height to the giant parents. The parent plants were growing in rich, moist, sandy woodlands. If you can grow them to a larger size before establishment outdoors, they should be much hardier than our listed Zone 7. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #07931
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Sabal minor var. louisiana (Louisiana Palmetto)
Sun to Part SunZone: 7-10 144" tall Origin: USA
Open House/Web-Only!
(syn: Sabal louisiana) This unusual Gulf Coast native is found only in a few swampy areas of Louisiana and east Texas, where it grows among typical S. minor. Taxonomists often dismiss it as a variant of S. minor, but the 6' tall trunk seems to say otherwise. If you don't agree, perhaps you'll change your mind after a few whacks with those aforementioned 6' tall trunks. Perhaps we are seeing speciation in progress. S. minor var. louisiana will reach 12' tall when mature and resembles S. palmetto in form. As a rule, it is proving to be hardier than most forms of S. palmetto. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #05175
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Sabal palmetto 'Tifton Hardy' (Tifton Hardy Palmetto Palm)
Sun to Part SunZone: 7b-10 240" tall Origin: USA
This seed strain of the southeast native Sabal palmetto was collected by retired City of Raleigh horticulturist Noel Weston on a trip through Tifton, Georgia after the 1980s freeze that killed most of the palmettos. Noel found an undamaged specimen at a Tifton hotel and collected seed. We gathered our seed from an original offspring, which has been growing in Raleigh since the early 1990s. Expect a 10' trunk in 15 years. In Zone 7, we recommend growing the plant to a larger size before planting it into the ground or if not, plant early and mulch very well until it gets established. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #07968
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Sabal rosei (Savannah Palmetto)
SunZone: 8b-10, at least 480" tall Origin: Mexico
Open House/Web-Only!
This little known palm hails from Mexico's West Coast, where it can be found in tropical deciduous forests to 2,500' elevation from Culiacan south to Guadalajara. The 40' tall palms resemble the east coast S. palmetto, but with very stiff costapalmate leaves. Plants at Georgia's Bamboo Farm have taken 15 degrees F, and Alabama's Hayes Jackson reports that his plants have withstood 8 degrees F, so we think these are worth a try for gardeners willing to experiment. S. rosei prefers well-draining soils and sites in full sun. Thanks to Hayes for sharing seed from his plants. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #06876
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Sabal sp. Tamaulipas (Mexican Scrub Palm)
Sun to Light ShadeZone: 7b-10, at least 96" tall Origin: Mexico
(aka: S. minor YD 17-55) This unique, garden-worthy palm has been lumped into Sabal minor, which is bizarre if you have grown these two plants side by side. Sabal sp. Tamaulipas is a S. minor on steroids growing three times as fast, having much larger leaves, and much larger seed. The 6' wide costapalmate (bends in the middle) leaves adorn the 8' tall clumps. Our parent plant is from a 1988 Yucca Do seed expedition into Tamaulipas, Mexico, where these palms were found around 1,500' elevation. Although seemingly trunkless, older specimens develop a horizontal trunk up to 4' long that lays on the ground.
Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #06222
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Sabal uresana (Sonoran Palmetto)
Sun to Part SunZone: 8-10, at least 720" tall Origin: Mexico
Open House/Web-Only!
From 3000' elevation in the valleys and foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental in Western Mexico comes this relative of Sabal palmetto that has performed well in East Coast Zone 8 gardens. S. uresana is very slow, but eventually (in your grand kids lifetime) makes a stunning 30' tall tree with costapalmate silvery-green leaves and a contrasting dark brown trunk. If you enjoy experimenting, S. uresana is a good one to try.
Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #05650
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Sabal x texensis 'Brazoria' (Brazoria Palmetto Palm)
Sun to Part SunZone: 7b-10, possibly colder 240" tall Origin: USA
Open House/Web-Only!
This rare palm from Brazoria County, Texas, is an intermediate hybrid between S. minor (no aboveground trunk) and S. mexicana (tall trunk), which should reach 20' tall with maturity. The giant, green, fan-shaped leaves are typical sabal foliage. These plants are so new to cultivation that adequate hardiness data is not available, although we suspect 0 degrees F should not be a problem. Our plants are 2-year-old seedlings. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #01741
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Saccharum
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Saccharum arundinaceum (Hardy Sugar Cane)
Sun to Part SunZone: 6-10 120" tall Origin: China
From the garden of plant collector Jim Waddick comes the hardiest and most spectacular of the sugar canes...little-known in the US except by our customers, who all rave about it (some on general principle). S. arundinaceum has long, grey-green leaves with a white midrib. This giant clumper (great for hiding obtrusive neighbors or rusty cars) makes a spectacular sight 10' tall x 10' wide. In early-to-mid October, the clumps are topped with purplish-pink, narrow, pampas-like plumes that extend another 2'-3' above the foliage. Because of the late flowering season, seedlings are not a problem from Zone 7b north. South of Zone 7b, watch carefully for seedlings...truly a must for grass lovers! Pot size: 3 qt. (2.83 L) #01735
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Saccharum arundinaceum 'Purple People Greeter' (Purple People Greeter Hardy Cane)
Sun to Part SunZone: 6-10 96" tall Origin: China
This unusual seedling from Tennessee's Robert Wilson, makes a smaller than normal clump for this species, 8' tall x 10' wide, compared to 10' tall normally. Starting in early spring, the leaf edges turn amber-purple and continue intensifying until fall when the leaves show a pronounced banded edge on both the front and back of the leaf. The clumps are topped with tall purple-tinted flower spikes that top the clump by another 2' in late October (NC). This is one of the strangest characteristics we've ever seen on a grass...quantities are limited. Pot size: 3 qt. (2.83 L) #07802
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