Sabal minor

A high percentage of my Sabal minor seeds germinated quite easily in 2009. A few died after having been planted out, possibly due to drought. I am a little confused about the best conditions for growing. Two of them were sheltered in bottomless water bottles and placed in the beech forest, a sunny spot and a place where I think the soil will be moist most of the year.

One of the Sabal seedlings in "normal" conditions, May 2009.

Two seedlings sheltered in bottles, May 2009

One of the bottles in September 2009. There has been some growth, but I am not sure if there is more than the same leaf.

After a bad winter the first specimen may have died. It had been covered with spruce and a thick layer of snow during the winter. The cover has just been removed late March 2010.

The seedlings in bottomless bottles have remained nearly as fresh as ever after the winter! Amazing. But - two months later it died, possibly because we had a dry period.

The smaller bottle however, was a little too small to protect the top of the seedling. This one too, died later.

I have decided to try again with the Sabals, and let one of my seedlings struggle with the winter to come. Hopefully next winter will be milder than the last (september 2010).

Actually, the winter 2010/2011 was a bit tougher, and I really don't know if there is reason to hope. March 25, 2011.

June 2011: Hope is diminishing... A photo will pop up if there is any growth in the future!