Sabal palmetto
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- SAY-bal pahl-MET-oh
- Description
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A native tree in the palm (Arecaceae) family. It is not hardy in piedmont or mountains but does well in the southeastern tip of NC's coastal plain. It is found in maritime forests, marsh edges, and other near-coastal communities. This plant is highly salt tolerant.
Cabbage Palmetto has fragrant flowers. Leaf-blade has a prominent midrib. Very young leaves/leaf buds are edible, but removing too many can kill the tree. Source of palmetto honey in more southern states. NC Threatened species; found only in Brunswick Co., NC (and in states farther south).
Regions: Coastal Plain
Seasons of Interest:
Bloom: Summer, July
Wildlife Value: Fruits are eaten by birds. This plant is seldom damaged by deer.
Compare this Plant to: Sabal minor
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Coastal Garden Coastal Foundation- Tropical
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Sabal
- Species:
- palmetto
- Family:
- Arecaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Seminole, Houma, Choctaw, and other Native American tribes in the southeastern US used this plant for construction of houses, food paddles, drying racks for animal skin, drying mats, fish drags, fish poison, ballsticks, arrows, and staffs. Interestingly, most Seminole homes were built from this plant.
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- SE United States, Bahamas, Cuba.
- Wildlife Value:
- The flowers attract many kinds of pollinators (including bees, flies, beetles and wasps). The fruit are consumed by birds, especially cedar waxwings.
- Play Value:
- Edible fruit
- Textural
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- This plant is seldom damaged from deer. Highly salt tolerant.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 20 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Columnar
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Blue
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Description:
- Displays from October to November
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- White
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Description:
- White, fragrant, 2' flower cluster in July
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Palmate, fan shaped 5 ft. leaves on 2 to 7 ft. stems. Fronds of cabbage palmettos have a distinctive arch (unlike the smaller dwarf palmetto, Sabal minor).
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Dark Gray
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Recreational Play Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Edible Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Winter Garden
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Salt
- Storm damage
- Wet Soil
- Wind
