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We're thinking about moving in about a year and a half and so I am considering uprooting my Sabal Minor McCurtain come spring time.
I have heard that in general it is impossible to transplant a sabal minor.

Mine isn't very big so I was thinking maybe I'd have a chance. Has anyone here been successful in transplanting a sabal minor?

I have transplanted a couple that were only in the ground for 2 years at most. And never any over a 5 gallon size. Good luck

chadec wrote:I have transplanted a couple that were only in the ground for 2 years at most. And never any over a 5 gallon size. Good luck

Did you break any of the roots? I assume preserving as many roots as possible is important, but I wonder if it can handle having any roots cut. Mine's only been in the ground 1 year. It had only strap leaves 2 years ago.

If you have to dig the palm the roots are gonna die back. The palm will have to regrow new ones. Just keep it watered and it should be fine. I have changed my mind on placement and been able to yank sabals out of the ground without breaking roots. But after a full growing season that maybe too hard.

chadec wrote:If you have to dig the palm the roots are gonna die back. The palm will have to regrow new ones. Just keep it watered and it should be fine. I have changed my mind on placement and been able to yank sabals out of the ground without breaking roots. But after a full growing season that maybe too hard.

Ok thank you chadec

Native minors growing in the woods near my house. So I'm going to be digging one up this weekend. Maybe three feet tall.

Camaross94 wrote:Native minors growing in the woods near my house. So I'm going to be digging one up this weekend. Maybe three feet tall.

Good luck! I'm interested in hearing how it does.

Years ago I dug up several large ones. Took along time as the roots were tangled with tree roots in a swampy area. It was also very hot outside. Some died months later others didn't survive being dug up again to be planted at a new house. Also if you knick the bulb part of the Palm it's a goner!! Take your time and get yourself a landscape tool that looks like a breaker bar.

Once they develop an underground trunk they are almost impossible to transplant unless you know what you are doing. I know Tony move some at PDN but I believe he was using front loaders to help gather the root ball.

I know this reputation, but in my experience they are not any more difficult than other palms.
KrisK here has one of mine. It is doing way better for him than it did for me. I have moved others, out to Oregon.

TerdalFarm wrote:I know this reputation, but in my experience they are not any more difficult than other palms.
KrisK here has one of mine. It is doing way better for him than it did for me. I have moved others, out to Oregon.

That's good to know. So I don't have to act like I'm performing surgery when removing it?

Nope. Take care, of course, to be gentle with roots. But, it will be fine.

TerdalFarm wrote:Nope. Take care, of course, to be gentle with roots. But, it will be fine.

Ok thanks

I transplanted my McCurtain last week. Looks like it survived.

I was thinking about leaving it but I noticed that the yucca in the second picture has scale. I wasnt about to try to get the scale off a yucca. I was wondering how my sabal got scale. Now I know.