Sabal ‘DeFuniak’ is a mystery palm, first spotted years ago, in the town of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, as an oddity and potential hybrid. Palm experts agree that the trunk looks like Sabal bermudana, while the foliage more closely resembles Sabal minor var. louisiana. Our first Sabal ‘DeFuniak’ plants are currently flowering this year at 5 years old in the ground (6 years old from seed). The flowers sure look like there is Sabal minor blood involved, but the flower stalks are much shorter than either Sabal minor and especially Sabal minor var. louisiana, which for us, has very tall flower spikes.
The growth rate is much faster than other purported Sabal minor x palmetto hybrids, so perhaps, another tall, trunking species like Sabal bermudana is involved. Our plants have been through two winters below 15F, 11F, and 14F, with no damage on mature foliage, although the newly developing leaf gets singed because it doesn’t know to shut down early enough in fall. While the growth rate still can’t compete with a windmill palm, this may wind up being one of the faster growing trunked sabals for Zone 7b/8a and south. We sure love a botanical mystery.
