Five Points

[Spartan]

That is pretty cool. Though I do wonder why they keep planting palm trees in Five Points (in general, not just with this fountain). Give us some shade trees.

[CarolinaSouth]

Well Spartan... I can see why they didn't bother to give that fountain shade type trees. I mean i doubt that anyone will be trying to sit on that fountain with the amount of car traffic that comes thru that road for shopping and etc. If this fountain was located in a plaza [like the other one] then i would agree with more shade trees.

[Spartan]

I said in general. Palm trees are used all around Five Points, not just on that fountain.

[CarolinaSouth]

That's true though....that's actually my biggest complaint about Finley park....but that's true...Columbia does need more shade trees where they matter, because the area has a very good amount of trees...it's just they are either in the wrong place, the wrong type or too new and small to be effective. Maybe they'll get it right one day!

[krazeeboi]

I said in general. Palm trees are used all around Five Points, not just on that fountain.

Perhaps I just haven't paid much attention, but I think with the recent streetscaping, the city did a decent job of planting shade tree saplings:

[CorgiMatt]

Every sidewalk in Five Points and every median is now lined with grand tree (shade tree) saplings, as you called them, Kraizee. Palmettos are used only as accents. And in Finlay Park it would be kind of hard to throw frisbees and watch concerts with grand trees in the way. There are lots of shade trees in the peripheral areas of the park where the walkways are.

[BryCola]

That is pretty cool. Though I do wonder why they keep planting palm trees in Five Points (in general, not just with this fountain). Give us some shade trees.

Those are actually Palmettos, not Palms. There is a difference. Palm trees are those towering trees you see in CA and tropical islands. Palmetto trees are much shorter. (I don't mean to sound like a "know it all"...but I recently read something about this) And I'm glad there are tons of Palmetto trees around Columbia. We ARE the Palmetto State after all. I also realize we need plenty of shade trees, so maybe a good mix of the 2 is the answer.

[waccamatt]

Those are actually Palmettos, not Palms. There is a difference. Palm trees are those towering trees you see in CA and tropical islands. Palmetto trees are much shorter. (I don't mean to sound like a "know it all"...but I recently read something about this) And I'm glad there are tons of Palmetto trees around Columbia. We ARE the Palmetto State after all. I also realize we need plenty of shade trees, so maybe a good mix of the 2 is the answer.

Palmettos are palm trees, they are the Sable Palmetto Palm. I'm glad there are lots of them in Columbia, too. I use a palmetto and 2 mexican palms as the shade trees for my deck and they work quite well, though you'd have to have a lot of them to shade a large area.

[dobboard]

There's also talk about 3 more fountains possibly being constructed to comprise the "Five Fountains of Five Points." That would be sweet.

I saw that this morning and was wondering where they might go?

I would imagine one would have to be placed near to the intersection of Harden and Gervais.

One at the end of Greene near the park?

Where else?

[krazeeboi]

Harden and Gervais would be a good spot; a fountain could help create a "gateway to Five Points" effect.

[BryCola]

Palmettos are palm trees, they are the Sable Palmetto Palm. I'm glad there are lots of them in Columbia, too. I use a palmetto and 2 mexican palms as the shade trees for my deck and they work quite well, though you'd have to have a lot of them to shade a large area.

Yeah, they're related. But I was watching a show on something like the History Channel...and they were talking about SC. They said we're the Palmetto State, named after a tree that is a cousin to the taller Palm trees. That's where I got my info.

[Spartan]

Talking about a "palm tree" is like talking about a "pine tree" its a general type of tree, but if you want to be specific you would say "palmetto tree" or "loblolly pine." Most people think about a sable palm when they think of palm trees, and most people in SC would think of a loblolly pine when they think of pine trees.

[krazeeboi]

Here's another shot of the fountain, courtesy of Doug L:

It will be a pretty cool little area once all the palmetto trees have full crowns.

[BrasilnSC]

Here are some more I took today.

[krazeeboi]

Nice shots, B!

[digital_sandlapper]

Yeah, they're related. But I was watching a show on something like the History Channel...and they were talking about SC. They said we're the Palmetto State, named after a tree that is a cousin to the taller Palm trees. That's where I got my info.

Talking about a "palm tree" is like talking about a "pine tree" its a general type of tree, but if you want to be specific you would say "palmetto tree" or "loblolly pine." Most people think about a sable palm when they think of palm trees, and most people in SC would think of a loblolly pine when they think of pine trees.

Y'all are both right. The palmetto that is our state tree and that is planted at the new fountain in Five Points and all over (it is the northernmost palm tree of North America) is Sabal palmetto, and is in the Palm Family of plants. (Note that it is spelled "Sabal" not "Sable".) There are countless other genera in the Palm Family, such as the taller tropical ones like the coconut palm or the date palm for instance, and so it is fine to say that they are all "cousins". The loblolly pine is not only in the Pine Family of plants, but it is also in the same genus, Pinus, as all other pines. So it is more like a "brother" to other pines. S.C. has about 8 species of native pines, which grow in every nook and cranny of course. The loblolly is by far the most common.

Amazingly, S.C. is home to 4 native species of palms (others can be planted here as ornamentals, but are not native). There is another Sabal species that only grows to a shrub size called dwarf palmetto, Sabal minor. The saw palmetto, Serenoa repens, is also a shrub, and a source of an herbal supplement. Finally, there is the needle palm, Rhaphidophyllum hystrix, which is also a shrub, growing only in Beaufort and Jasper Counties. The palmetto is the only native palm TREE of our state (the only one that gets tree-sized.)

I apologize for all this off-topic botanical stuff . . plants are my vocation and avocation, so I couldn't help myself!

Edited March 20, 2008 by digital_sandlapper

[BryCola]

Y'all are both right. The palmetto that is our state tree and that is planted at the new fountain in Five Points and all over (it is the northernmost palm tree of North America) is Sabal palmetto, and is in the Palm Family of plants. (Note that it is spelled "Sabal" not "Sable".) There are countless other genera in the Palm Family, such as the taller tropical ones like the coconut palm or the date palm for instance, and so it is fine to say that they are all "cousins". The loblolly pine is not only in the Pine Family of plants, but it is also in the same genus, Pinus, as all other pines. So it is more like a "brother" to other pines. S.C. has about 8 species of native pines, which grow in every nook and cranny of course. The loblolly is by far the most common.

Amazingly, S.C. is home to 4 native species of palms (others can be planted here as ornamentals, but are not native). There is another Sabal species that only grows to a shrub size called dwarf palmetto, Sabal minor. The saw palmetto, Serenoa repens, is also a shrub, and a source of an herbal supplement. Finally, there is the needle palm, Rhaphidophyllum hystrix, which is also a shrub, growing only in Beaufort and Jasper Counties. The palmetto is the only native palm TREE of our state (the only one that gets tree-sized.)

I apologize for all this off-topic botanical stuff . . plants are my vocation and avocation, so I couldn't help myself!

Thanks for clarifying that digital. I just don't like when someone calls our Pametto's "Palms"...we're not the "Palm State". Whenever I think of Palms, I think of the very tall one's...not our shorter Palmetto's. Not too important I guess...just a small pet peave of mine.

[Doug L]

Yes! Really good shots. I can hardly wait for three more fountains to photograph.

[Spartan]

Palmettos can get up to 65 feet tall, which is quite high.

[BryCola]

Palmettos can get up to 65 feet tall, which is quite high.

Maybe they CAN get 65 feet tall, but I've lived in SC my whole life, and I've never seen one anywhere near that tall. I'm not sure I've seen many half that size.

[waccamatt]

Maybe they CAN get 65 feet tall, but I've lived in SC my whole life, and I've never seen one anywhere near that tall. I'm not sure I've seen many half that size.

There are a number that are quite tall (probably at least 50') on the Sumter Street side of the State House and also on the Assembly Street parking garage across from the post office.

[BrasilnSC]

Here are some rarely seen buildings in 5-points. These are on College St. (between Harden and Pine).

City Yoga

Antique Warehouse next to City Yoga

Formerly the Five Points Redevelopment Office........currently vacant (although i've seen some activity inside)

Some buildings just north of College on Harden St:

5-Points Animal Clinic

This one's got great potential

Salty's new location......the space to the right of it is being renovated and something should be moving in there soon.

[digital_sandlapper]

Maybe they CAN get 65 feet tall, but I've lived in SC my whole life, and I've never seen one anywhere near that tall. I'm not sure I've seen many half that size.

That's probably because they are only naturally-occurring, and therefore at their tallest, on the coast. Those you see all around us here in Columbia and in other inland towns have been planted. This is sort of a recent phenomenon. Nurseries in Florida especially began breeding them, then harvesting them when they get tall enough (say 20 feet plus, which takes some time), OR rescuing them from land being developed, in the last few decades. These palmetto "poles" can be plopped in the ground, and "voila" you have an instant tree!

If you want to see just how tall Sabal palmettos can get (they are limited to around 60 feet, but like you said are usually around 30 feet), drive down Victory Drive in Savannah (or walk through the squares downtown). Those on Victory were planted long enough ago, just after WWI, to really get some height. Our inland ones will only get taller and taller . . just wait!

[krazeeboi]

Brasil, thanks for the pics. It's those small storefronts with character that give Five Points its identity.

[IRR-SC]

Here is an aerial that I took in November 2007