Comments
provided by eFloras
Sabal palmetto grows in a variety of habitats, from pine and oak associations to coastal dunes and to coastal marshes (K. E. Brown 1976; S. Zona 1990). Like S. minor, it is polymorphic at the extremes of its range; however, differences in stature, size, and trunk characteristics are not of a magnitude to warrant taxonomic rank. In the pine rocklands of Dade County, Florida, S. palmetto may flower and fruit with little or no aboveground trunk.
Although Sabal palmetto is a moderately important honey plant, its greatest economic use is as an ornamental.
- license
- cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Description
provided by eFloras
Stems usually aerial, 20--35 cm diam. Leaves 15--30, strongly costapalmate, bearing threadlike fibers between segments; hastula acute to acuminate, 5.3--18 cm; segments 55--120 ´ 2.5--4.2 cm; apices bifid2-cleft. Inflorescences with 3 orders of branching (not counting main inflorescence axis), arching, equaling or exceeding leaves in length. Flowers 4.1--6.7 mm. Fruits black, spheroid, length 8--13.8 mm, diam. 8.1--13.9 mm. Seeds 4--7 mm, diam. 5.4--9.7 mm diam. 2n = 36.
- license
- cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Distribution
provided by eFloras
Fla., Ga., N.C., S.C.; West Indies (Bahamas, Cuba).
- license
- cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Flowering/Fruiting
provided by eFloras
Flowering spring--summer (northern part of range) or year around (southern part of range).
- license
- cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Habitat
provided by eFloras
Hammocks, pinelands, river banks, dunes, tidal flats; 0--40m.
- license
- cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Synonym
provided by eFloras
Corypha palmetto Walter, Fl. Carol., 119. 1788; Chamaerops palmetto (Walter) Michaux; Corypha palma W. Bartram; Inodes palmetto (Walter) O. F. Cook; Sabal jamesiana Small
- license
- cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Broad-scale Impacts of Fire
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
When growing on organic soil or soil with a deep organic layer, very
severe fires may consume the soil itself, killing cabbage palmettos by
root damage and lack of mechanical support [
19].
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Broad-scale Impacts of Plant Response to Fire
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
fire frequency,
fire severity,
frequency,
severityFrequent fires allow cabbage palmetto to form pure stands and invade
mixed stands [
19]. Twenty-one years of fires in Everglades National
Park resulted in a net increase in cabbage palmetto stems [
17]. Egler
wrote that the increase in fire severity and decrease in fire frequency
following European settlement allowed cabbage palmettos to dominate high
hammock communities in southern Florida [
6].
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Common Names
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
cabbage palmetto
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Description
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
drupe,
fruit,
perfect,
seed,
treeThe cabbage palmetto is an erect, unbranched palm tree. It grows to a
height of 33 to 82 feet (10-25 m) with a stem diameter of 12 to 24
inches (30-60 cm). Typically the stem diameter is uniform from the
base to the crown. Leaf bases or "boots" may persist on the stem or
slough off, giving the stem a smooth appearance [
5,
19,
21].
Cabbage palmetto leaves are fan-shaped, palmately divided, and
spineless. They are borne on a prominately-arching midrib and may be 3
to 9 feet (1-3 m) long. Cabbage palmetto flowers are perfect, showy,
and creamy to yellowish white. They are borne in arching or drooping
clusters. The fruit is a black, fleshy, drupe that contains a single
brown spherical seed [
13]. Sargent (1933 in [
19]) described the cabbage
palmetto root system as a short, bulbous, underground stem surrounded by
a dense mass of contorted roots with smaller, light orange roots
penetrating the soil to a depth of 15 to 20 feet (4.6-6.1 m).
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Distribution
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Cabbage palmetto grows throughout peninsular Florida and the Florida
Keys. It grows in the coastal areas of the Florida panhandle, Georgia,
and South Carolina [
19,
22]. It is cultivated in Hawaii [
23]. Outside of
the United States, cabbage palmetto occurs in the Bahamas and Cuba
[
19,
22].
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Fire Ecology
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
fire regimeCabbage palmetto grows in areas where ground fires are frequent and
common but crown fires are rare. It has a well-protected, deeply
imbedded terminal bud, which is held aloft on a fire-resistant trunk.
It survives fire [
19].
FIRE REGIMES : Find fire regime information for the plant communities in which this
species may occur by entering the species name in the
FEIS home page under
"Find FIRE REGIMES".
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Growth Form (according to Raunkiær Life-form classification)
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. More info for the term:
phanerophytePhanerophyte
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Habitat characteristics
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
relictClimate: Cabbage palmetto grows in a humid, subtropical to
warm-temperate climate. Within its range, the average annual rainfall
is 39 to 64 inches (100-163 cm). The average maximum and minimum
temperatures range from 97 to 25 degrees F (36 to -4 deg C). Low winter
temperatures probably limit cabbage palmetto's northern range.
Soils: Cabbage palmetto tolerates a wide range of soil acidities,
salinities, and drainage conditions. It grows best on neutral to
alkaline soils which are rich in calcium. Because of its calcium
affinity, cabbage palmetto frequently grows near exposed calcareous
sands, marls, and limestones. Cabbage palmetto prefers poorly to very
poorly drained soils and often grows on the edge of freshwater and
brackish wetlands. It tolerates salt and occasional flooding. The
Entisol, Alfisol, Ultisol, and Spodosol soil orders all support cabbage
palmetto.
At the northern limit of its range, cabbage palmetto grows mainly on the
baysides of coastal dunes. In central Florida it grows on periodically
flooded lowlands, relict inland dunes, and ridges below 100 feet (30 m).
With drainage, cabbage palmetto invades the once seasonally inundated
interhammock glades. Along freshwater sources, cabbage palmetto can
form pure stands covering up to 25 acres (10 ha). Such stands are
called "river hammocks" if along a river, and "cabbage-palm hammocks" or
"palm savannas" if inland [
1].
Cabbage palmetto growth may indicate sites influenced by subtropical
conditions [
12] or frequent fires [
15].
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Habitat: Cover Types
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. This species is known to occur in association with the following cover types (as classified by the Society of American Foresters):
70 Longleaf pine
73 Southern redcedar
74 Cabbage palmetto
84 Slash pine
105 Tropical hardwoods
111 South Florida slash pine
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Habitat: Ecosystem
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. This species is known to occur in the following ecosystem types (as named by the U.S. Forest Service in their Forest and Range Ecosystem [FRES] Type classification):
FRES12 Longleaf - slash pine
FRES13 Loblolly - shortleaf pine
FRES14 Oak - pine
FRES16 Oak - gum - cypress
FRES41 Wet grasslands
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Habitat: Plant Associations
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. This species is known to occur in association with the following plant community types (as classified by Küchler 1964):
More info for the term:
forestK079 Palmetto prairie
K090 Live oak - sea oats
K092 Everglades
K112 Southern mixed forest
K115 Sand pine scrub
K116 Subtropical pine forest
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Immediate Effect of Fire
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Cabbage palmettos probably sustain only superficial damage from most
fires.
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Importance to Livestock and Wildlife
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
fruitBlack bears, raccoons, bats, northern bobwhites, wild turkeys,
ring-necked gulls, cardinals, great-tailed grackles, blue jays, and
scrub jays all eat cabbage palmetto fruit [
19,
23]. White-tailed deer
also eat the fruit, but cabbage palmetto foliage is not browsed [
13].
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Key Plant Community Associations
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
cactus,
fern,
swamp,
tree,
xericIn southern Florida, cabbage palmetto is a common component of high and
low hammock, tree island, and mixed conifer-hardwood swamp communities
[
2,
3,
7,
9,
10,
13,
15]. Elsewhere it grows in more xeric scrub and Miami
rock-ridge inland communities [
4,
15]. In the Florida Panhandle,
Georgia, and South Carolina, cabbage palmetto grows within 12 miles (20
km) of the coast. It is a componenet of several diverse plant
communities, including those characteristic of dunes, salt flats,
barrier islands, and cactus thickets [
1].
Associates are many and varied because of the diversity of Florida's
flora and the ecological amplitude of cabbage palmetto. Overstory
associates include south Florida slash pine (Pinus elliottii var.
densa), slash pine (P. elliottii var. elliottii), pond pine (P.
serotina), loblolly pine (P. taeda), longleaf pine (P. palustris),
eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana), various evergreen oaks (Quercus
spp.), loblolly-bay (Gordonia lasianthus), red bay (Persea borbonia),
magnolia (Magnolia spp.), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), red maple
(Acer rubrum), baldcypress (Taxodium spp.), pignut hickory (Carya
glabra), gumbo-limbo (Bursera simaruba), and cocoplum (Chrysobalanus
icaco). Understory associates include gallberry (Ilex glabra),
huckleberries (Gaylussacia spp.), blueberries (Vaccinium spp.), lyonias
(Lyonia spp.), southern bayberry (Merica cerifera), holly (Ilex spp.),
saw-palmetto (Serenoa repens), greenbriar (Smilax spp.), bracken fern
(Pteridium spp.), poison-ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), bluestem
(Andropogon spp.), sawgrass (Cladium jamaicensis), and beak rush
(Rhynchospora spp.). Exotic associates and probable competitors include
casuarina (Casuarina spp.), melaleuca (Melaleuca quinquenervia), coconut
(Cocos nucifera), and Brazilian peppertree (Schinus terebinthifolia).
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Life Form
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
treeTree
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Management considerations
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
naturalThe extensive use of cabbage palmetto for urban landscaping is depleting
natural stocks. Cabbage palmetto management is clearly needed, though
untried. Wade and Langdon [
19] suggest that cabbage palmetto
silviculture should be fairly simple. Even and uneven-aged management
of mixed or pure stands are appropriate. Site drainage and aerial
applications of 2-4-D will damage cabbage palmetto stands [
19].
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Occurrence in North America
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
FL GA HI SC
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Other uses and values
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
treeThe terminal bud of cabbage palmetto is edible and tastes somewhat like
cabbage (Brassica spp.)--hence the name. Removal of the bud kills the
tree. Cabbage palmetto leaves are used to make canes, scrub brushes,
thatch, and baskets. Bees use its pollen. Cabbage palmetto is a
popular ornamental [
19,
23].
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Phenology
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. Cabbage palmetto flowers from April to August, depending on latitude.
Fruits begin to develop in the fall and are mature by winter [
13,
19,
23].
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Plant Response to Fire
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
competitionMost fires probably favor cabbage palmetto growth by removing
competition.
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Post-fire Regeneration
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
not applicable
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Regeneration Processes
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
seedCabbage palmetto flowers are insect pollinated [
13,
19,
23]. Fruits
persist on the spadix until removed by wind, rain, or birds such as
ringed-neck gulls, fish crows, cardinals, and blue jays. On the ground,
cabbage palmetto seeds are eaten or cached by small mammals. Birds and
mammals act as dispersal agents. Cabbage palmetto seeds are buoyant and
salt resistant. Near coastal areas, water is an important means of seed
dispersal as well [
23]. Meyers (1977 in [
19]) reports that seed
survival is low. Of roughly 620,000 seeds produced per acre
(1,500,000/ha), only about 9 percent survive frugivory. Seeds exposed
to sunlight for long periods do not germinate well. The first year's
growth consists of a primary root, one fully expanded leaf, and a
rhizomatous stem. There is no information on vegetative growth [
19].
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Successional Status
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. More info for the terms:
climax,
forest,
formationThe successional status of cabbage palmetto is disputed. Wade and
Langdon [
19] described it as shade-tolerant, and characteristic of
climatic climax, and fire climax communities. Daubenmire [
4], however,
described it as an early seral, woody invader of open savannas.
Similarly, Zona [
23] reported that it is shade intolerant and that
seedlings under a closed canopy remain suppressed and form no
aboveground stem. Stem elongation and sexual maturation await gap
formation in the canopy. In more open habitats along forest edges, on
dunes, and in abandoned fields, growth and recruitment are immediate
with no suppressed stage. Cabbage palmetto thrives in anthropogenic
habitats.
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Synonyms
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Sabal jamesiana Small
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Taxonomy
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
The currently accepted scientific name for cabbage palmetto is Sabal
palmetto (Walt.) Lodd. (Arecaceae). There are no infrataxa [
22].
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Value for rehabilitation of disturbed sites
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
fruit,
stratification,
treeCabbage palmetto is the most wind-resistant tree in southern Florida and
is relatively resistant to damaging insects and other pathogens [
19].
It tolerates salt spray and brackish water [
23]. These attributes make
cabbage palmetto potentially useful for disturbed site rehabilitation.
Propagation of cabbage palmetto in the nursery requires the collection
of ripe fruits. Seeds can be separated with a macerator or by rubbing
the fruit on hardware cloth. Seeds require no pretreatment to break
dormancy, but stratification in moist sand for 30 days at 38 degrees F
(3 deg C) speeds germination. Seeds should be planted 0.5 to 1 inch
(1.5-3 cm) deep in light soil and should not be allowed to dry out.
There are about 1,650 dried seeds per pound (3,630/kg) [
13].
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Wood Products Value
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Cabbage palmetto wood is sea-worm resistant, splinter resistant, and
unusual looking (no growth rings). It is used for warf pilings, poles,
broom handles, and ornamental table tops [
19,
21].
- bibliographic citation
- Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Associated Forest Cover
provided by Silvics of North America
In the forest cover type Cabbage Palmetto (Society of American
Foresters Type 74), the species usually makes up a plurality of
the stocking (11). Because cabbage palmetto can accommodate a
wide range of sites, it is found in association with many plant
species, especially in south Florida. It is found on severe sites
such as dunes, salt flats, barrier islands, cactus thickets, and
wet prairies. It is a common component of such diverse
communities as freshwater cypress swamps, relic inland dune
ridges, and rockland pine forests, where it grows with South
Florida slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. densa) and
various tropical hardwoods on limestone outcrops. Other
coniferous associates include typical slash pine (P.
elliottii var. elliottii), pond pine (P. serotina),
and loblolly pine (P. taeda) at edges of
marshes; longleaf pine (P. palustris) on dry
sites such as xeric hammocks; and eastern redcedar (Juniperus
virginiana) in hydric hammocks. Cabbage palmetto is also a
component of both temperate and subtropical hardwoods, which
include species such as the various evergreen oaks (Quercus
spp.), loblolly-bay (Gordonia lasianthus), redbay
(Persea borbonia), magnolias (Magnolia spp.),
sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), red maple (Acer
rubrum), baldcypress (Taxodium spp.), pignut hickory
(Carya glabra), gumbo-limbo (Bursera simaruba), cocoplum
(Chrysobalanus Waco), Florida strangler fig (Ficus aurea),
Florida poisontree (Metopium toxiferum), and wild
tamarind (Lysiloma latisiliquum). The abundance of
cabbage palmetto within a given community is often related to the
site's fire history. Cabbage palmetto can survive fires that kill
other arborescent vegetation be cause of its deeply embedded bud
and fire-resistant trunk; it thus tends to form pure stands with
periodic burning (19,27,30).
Associated understory vegetation includes gallberry (Ilex
glabra), huckleberries (Gaylussacia spp.) blueberries
(Vaccinium spp.), lyonias (Lyonia spp.),
waxmyrtle (Myrica cerifera), holly (Ilex spp.),
saw-palmetto (Serenoa repens), greenbriar (Smilax
spp.), bracken (Pteridium spp.), blackberry (Rubus
spp.), poison-ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), bluestem
(Andropogon spp.), sawgrass (Cladium jamaicensis),
beak-rush (Rhynchospora spp.), and such epiphytic
plants as the common tree orchid (Tillandsia spp.), and
various bromeliads in the subtropical hammocks.
Several naturalized exotics, namely casuarina (Casuarina
spp.), melaleuca (Melaleuca quinquenervia), coconut
(Cocos nucifera), and Brazil peppertree (Schinus
terebinthifolia), are now commonly associated with cabbage
palmetto-apparently at its expense-but it is too early to judge
the extent of their competition.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Climate
provided by Silvics of North America
The climate within the natural range of cabbage palmetto is
principally subtropical to warm temperate, humid, with an average
annual rainfall of 1000 to 1630 mm. (39 to 64 in) and average
annual minimum and maximum temperatures from about -4° to 36°
C (25° to 97° F). Low winter temperatures apparently
limit the horticultural range of the species, which now extends
more than 160 km (100 mi) north and inland of its natural range
(3).
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Damaging Agents
provided by Silvics of North America
In its native environment, only a rising
sea level, hurricanes, and organic soil fires are harmful to this
species. It is apparently free of damaging insects and most other
pathogens, although bole cankers have been reported (26). Seed
predation by the bruchid beetle, as previously discussed, would
be a major problem but for the large number of seed produced each
year.
South of the Tamiami Trail, which crosses the lower part of south
Florida, cabbage palmetto mortality is significant because
extensive drainage schemes, resulting in a reduced freshwater
head, have combined with a rising sea level to produce increased
salinities (1,8). Cabbage palmetto has been rated the most
wind-resistant south Florida tree but it nevertheless suffered
extensive damage from Hurricane Donna in 1960, particularly on
Palm Key in Florida Bay (9). Cabbage palmetto growing on organic
soil or deep humus deposits are killed by fire burning in this
organic layer because of root mortality and loss of mechanical
support. The extensive use of these trees in urban landscaping is
depleting native stands of mature cabbage palmetto, suggesting a
future need to manage stands for this use.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Flowering and Fruiting
provided by Silvics of North America
Flowers are perfect, about 6 mm
(0.25 in) in diameter by 3 mm (0.125 in) long, and creamy to
yellowish white (19,29). The showy flowers are borne in profusion
in arching or drooping clusters 1.5 to 2.5 m (5 to 8 ft) long,
from April through August in south Florida but for only a 4- to
6-week period beginning in the middle of July in North Carolina
(3,31). The fragrant flowers are pollinated by bees, although
other insects may be of local importance (3). The fruits are
black, fleshy, drupelike berries, 5 to 13 mm (0.2 to 0.5 in) in
diameter and averaging about 10 mm (0.4 in), each containing a
single, hard, brown, spherical seed (2,3).
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Genetics
provided by Silvics of North America
The only available information on varieties pretains to growth
differences between seedlings at Smith Island, NC, and Miami, FL.
Both the biomass and the photosynthetic rate of the Miami
seedlings were more than twice that of the Smith Island plants,
differences that were statistically significant (3).
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Growth and Yield
provided by Silvics of North America
Since palms do not have a cambium as
such, they do not produce annual growth rings. Cabbage palmetto
reaches its maximum development in south-central Florida, but
good growth also occurs along the Gulf Coast to the Apalachicola
River. Mature trees are straight, unbranched, with heights from
10 to 25 m (33 to 82 ft) and diameters of 30 to 61 cm (12 to 24
in) (21). A dense well rounded crown is almost always formed. On
many trees the leaf bases or "boots" remain securely
attached while on others they slough off, leaving a fairly smooth
trunk (fig. 3). Diameters are exaggerated when these boots remain
attached to the trunk. Average growth rates are unknown. One
specimen, planted as an ornamental in south-central Florida, grew
to a height of 9 m (30 ft) and a diameter including boots of
about 76 cm (30 in) in 16 years (6).
Few stand measurements of cabbage palmetto have been made; stem
counts, in the rockland pine forest of Everglades National Park
(28) and in the sandy marl pine-palm association (4) and the
mixed swamp forest of the Big Cypress National Preserve (27),
showed cabbage palm to be rather abundant, with stems numbering
900/ha (364/acre), 500/ha (202/acre), and 180/ha (73/acre),
respectively. In a cabbage-palm hammock just north of the Big
Cypress Swamp, the count of cabbage palmetto was 1,010/ha
(409/acre), with a basal area of 53.0 m² /ha (231 ft²/acre);
there were 7,150 palm seedlings per hectare (2,895/acre) under
breast height (19).
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Reaction to Competition
provided by Silvics of North America
Cabbage palmetto is classed as
shade tolerant and is probably a climatic climax as well as a
fire climax. Since intensive management of cabbage palmetto has
not been tried, the effects of various silvicultural treatments
are conjectural. But its management would appear to be simple and
straightforward, with the tree managed in either pure or mixed
stands under either an even-or all-age management system.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Rotting Habit
provided by Silvics of North America
The underground stem of cabbage palmetto is
short and bulbous, surrounded by a dense mass of contorted roots
commonly 1.2 to 1.5 m (4 to 5 ft) in diameter and 1.5 to 1.8 rn
(5 to 6 ft) deep. From this mass, tough, light-orange roots often
almost 13 mm (0.5 in) in diameter penetrate the soil for a
distance of 4.6 to 6.1 m (15 to 20 ft) (22).
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Seed Production and Dissemination
provided by Silvics of North America
The fruits mature in
the fall and persist on the spadix until removed by wind, rain,
or birds such as ring billed gulls, fish crows, cardinals, and
blue jays. Once on the ground, the fruits are eaten by numerous
animals or cached by rodents; such caches result in dense patches
of seedlings (3,14,19). In near-coast situations, however, the
major means of dissemination appears to be by water. The
distribution of cabbage palmetto along the Atlantic shoreline is
attributed to the seed's buoyancy and tolerance of saltwater.
Thus, the range of cabbage palmetto is a function of the speed
and direction of estuarine and littoral currents along a
shoreline. This fact explains the species spread northward along
the Atlantic Coast and its expansion westward along the Gulf
Coast (3).
Cabbage palmetto produces large numbers of fruits and seeds each
year. In a cabbage-palm hammock in southwest Florida, an
estimated 1,530,000/ha of ripe fruits (620,000/acre) were
produced per year, of which 9 percent contained intact seeds
after 6 months, 1 percent were infested by beetles, and 89
percent had been totally consumed or removed from the site (19).
Predation of cabbage palmetto seeds by a bruchid beetle (Caryobruchus
gleditsiae) is the major cause of seed loss and regeneration
failure (3,32). When seeds are carried off by animals, the
probability of predation by this insect is greatly reduced. Seeds
falling into water also escape this predation because they tend
to be covered by sand or organic debris, so that germination
occurs when temperature and moisture conditions become favorable.
However, infestation of the fruit while still on the tree is
substantial and can reach 98 percent (5). Seeds exposed to the
sun for long periods do not germinate well (3).
Germination of cabbage palmetto seeds is hastened by
stratification in moist sand for 30 days at 3° C (37°
F) (18). Dormancy is also broken if the micropyle cap is removed.
For example, germination of untreated seed was 36 percent in 100
days but was increased to 84 percent or more in 4 days by removal
of the micropyle cap (29). Moisture and temperature requirements
for germination are satisfactorily met throughout its range.
Although the species does not reproduce on the fore dune or beach
face, substrate salinity levels encountered on the lee side of
dunes or in upper reaches of tidal creeks and marshes do not
represent an establishment problem (3).
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Seedling Development
provided by Silvics of North America
Germination of cabbage palmetto is
hypogeal. Like other palms, it grows upward from a single
terminal bud and outward from the fibrovascular bundles
distributed throughout its trunk. Because seeds germinate from
middle to late summer, seedling growth the first year normally
consists of a primary root, one fully expanded leaf with stem
growth obliquely downward forming the rhizome. Ecotypic
differences between northern and southern seed sources in
seedling photosynthetic and biomass growth rates have been
observed (3).
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Soils and Topography
provided by Silvics of North America
Cabbage palmetto can tolerate a broad range of soil pH, salinity,
and drainage but prefers neutral to alkaline soils characterized
by near-surface or exposed calcareous sands, marls, or limestone
(10,15). Although it grows at the edges of both saline and
freshwater areas, it cannot survive lengthy tidal inundations (8)
but can withstand fluctuations of 2 m (6 ft) in freshwater levels
by developing extensive adventitious rootlets along its trunk up
to the high-water mark. This cylindrical root mass may reach
diameters of 1.8 to 2.4 rn (6 to 8 ft) (24).
In the northern part of its range, cabbage palmetto is primarily
found on the bay side of coastal dunes and adjacent mainland.
Farther south in Georgia, it extends up the flood plains of major
rivers. In central Florida, the tree is often found on fine sandy
soils with subsoils of limestone or marl on periodically flooded
lowlands, and on relic inland dune ridges below 30 rn (100 ft),
an elevation that defines the approximate shoreline of the
Wicomico Sea of the Pleistocene (7). With the construction of
drainage ditches in south-central Florida, it has colonized the
once seasonally inundated interhammock glades.
The species is found on a wide range of soils including those in
the orders Entisols, Alfisols, Ultisols, and Spodosols in south
Florida. Drainage tends to be restricted, ranging from somewhat
poorly to very poorly drained. All soils appear to have one
characteristic in common, a high calcium content, which is
indicated by either a high base saturation (Alfisols) or
limestone, phosphatic rock, or sea shells in the profile. Soil
series typical of the Alfisols are Boca, Bradenton, Parkwood, and
Riviera. Typical Entisols are exemplified by the Pompano series.
Charlotte, Oldsmar, and Wabasso soil series are typical Spodosols
on which the species is found.
The species often forms pure stands up to about 10 ha (25 acres)
in freshwater areas, called river hammocks if they lie along a
river, and cabbage-palm hammocks or palm savannas if they are on
inland prairies.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Special Uses
provided by Silvics of North America
Cabbage palmetto is so called because of its edible terminal bud
which tastes somewhat like that vegetable. The bud, also called
swamp cabbage, is good both raw and cooked and is commercially
canned and sold. Removal of the bud kills the tree, however.
Cabbage palmetto was an important tree to the Seminole Indians,
who often made their homes on cabbage-palm hammocks (23). They
made bread meal from the fruit, which has a sweet, prunelike
flavor, and they used the palm fronds to thatch their chickees
(huts) and to make baskets (10,22,25). Many other uses of this
tree are documented (17,22,26): pilings for wharfs because they
resist attacks by seaworms, stems, hollowed out to form pipes for
carrying water, ornamental table tops from polished stem
cross-sections, canes, scrub brushes from the bark fibers and
leaf sheaths, and logs for cribbing in early fortifications
because they did not produce lethal splinters when struck by
cannonballs.
Currently, young cabbage palmetto fronds are collected and shipped
worldwide each spring for use on Palm Sunday. This tree is in
flower when many other plants are not and is a significant source
of a strong but delicious dark-amber honey.
Perhaps the most important uses are as an ornamental and as
wildlife food. The sheer magnitude of its annual fruit crop is
such that it provides a substantial part of the diet of many
animals such as deer, bear, raccoon, squirrel, bobwhite, and wild
turkey (12,13, 18, 19, 20).
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Vegetative Reproduction
provided by Silvics of North America
No information available.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Brief Summary
provided by Silvics of North America
Palmae -- Palm family
Dale D. Wade and 0. Gordon Langdon
Cabbage palmetto (Sabal palmetto) is the most northerly
and abundant of the native tree palms. Other names sometimes used
are Carolina palmetto, common palmetto, palmetto, and
cabbage-palm. This medium-sized unbranched evergreen palm
commonly grows on sandy shores, along brackish marshes, in
seacoast woodlands of Southeastern United States and throughout
peninsular Florida. It can tolerate a broad range of soil
conditions and is often planted as a street tree. Abundant fruit
crops provide a good supply of food to many kinds of wildlife.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Distribution
provided by Silvics of North America
Cabbage palmetto is the most widely distributed of our native palm
trees. Its range extends northward from the Florida Keys through
its epicenter in south-central Florida to Cape Fear, NC. A
disjunct population has been reported at Cape Hatteras, NC (16).
From North Carolina south to the Florida line it hugs the
coastline, usually occurring within 20 km (12 mi) of the ocean.
In Florida, its northern boundary turns west through Gainesville
and follows an ancient shoreline across the peninsula to the Gulf
Coast. It then follows the shoreline westward to St. Andrews Bay
where its range is slowly extending (3). Outside the United
States, it is found in the Bahama Islands (23).
-The native range of cabbage palmetto.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Sabal palmetto
provided by wikipedia EN
Sabal palmetto (/ˈseɪbəl/, SAY-bəl), also known as cabbage palm,[5] cabbage palmetto,[3] sabal palm, blue palmetto,[3] Carolina palmetto,[6] common palmetto,[6] Garfield's tree, and swamp cabbage,[7] is one of 15 species of palmetto palm. It is native to the Southern United States, the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, and the West Indies.
Description
Sabal palmetto grows up to 20 metres (65 feet) tall. Starting at half to two-thirds the height, the tree develops into a rounded, costapalmate fan of numerous leaflets. A costapalmate leaf has a definite costa (midrib) unlike the typical palmate or fan leaf, but the leaflets are arranged radially like in a palmate leaf. All costapalmate leaves are about 5 millimetres (1⁄4 inch) across, produced in large compound panicles up to 2.5 m (8 ft) in radius, extending out beyond the leaves. The fruit is a black drupe about 1.3 centimetres (1⁄2 in) long containing a single seed. It is extremely salt-tolerant and is often seen growing near both the Atlantic Ocean coast and the Gulf of Mexico coast.[5]
S. palmetto growing near the South Carolina state capitol in Columbia
Sabal palmetto "Lisa"
Close-up of
S. palmetto 'Lisa' showing leaf character, distinct from that of wild specimens
In 1998, a new mutant form of S. palmetto was discovered in southwest Florida, and named as a cultivar, Sabal palmetto "Lisa". This cultivar has unusually thick and leathery, largely fused leaflets that give the palm a unique and appealing appearance. Over 60% of the seedlings have the same leaf characteristics as the parent plant and Sabal palmetto "Lisa" has been popularized in the nursery trade in Florida over the last 20 years and proven to be as resistant to heat, wind, cold, drought, and neglect as the common form while keeping its shape.[8]
Distribution and habitat
Sabal palmetto is native to the coastal regions of the American states of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and extreme southern Texas. It is widely cultivated elsewhere in the Southeastern US, such as Virginia, Alabama, and Mississippi.[9] It can also be found alongside Cuba's northern coast (from Havana to Matanzas),[10] the Turks and Caicos, the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, and the Bahamas.[10][11][12]
The species is hardy to the US Department of Agriculture's zone 8a, and has been reported to have some cold hardness down to 8.6 °F or −13.0 °C, but needs hot and humid summers to grow well. Maintenance of the cabbage palm tree is very easy and very adaptable. The cabbage palmetto is known to tolerate drought, standing water and brackish water. Even though this palm is drought-tolerant, it thrives on regular light watering and regular feeding. It is highly tolerant of salt winds, but not saltwater flooding.[13]
Cultivation
The approximate range of cultivation for cabbage palmettos in the US with little to no winter protection
Sabal palmetto is a popular landscape plant in subtropical climates and used for its tolerance of salt spray and drought, and is moderately cold hardy. Because of their relatively long establishment period and prevalence on southern ranchlands, few, if any are grown from seed in nurseries. Instead, established plants are dug in the wild with small rootballs since virtually all the severed roots die and must be replaced by new roots in the new location. Most leaves are removed at this time to reduce transpiration. Most references rate the species as hardy to USDA hardiness zone 8a. Cabbage palms have excellent hurricane resistance, but are frequently overpruned. Sabal palms normally only do well in hot and humid summer climates.
The cabbage palm is remarkably resistant to fire, floods, coastal conditions, cold, high winds, and drought. Despite this, recent mortality has been caused by Texas phoenix palm decline, a phytoplasma currently found on the west coast of Florida.
Sabal palmetto trunks appear in two different conditions, which can be confusing (see photo). When leaves die, the leaf bases typically persist for a while, creating a spiky, "basketweave" effect. These remnant leaf bases are called "bootjacks" or "boots", for short. The name stems from the "Y" shape that was reminiscent of devices used to aid individuals in removing boots. Transplanted palms are sometimes deliberately shorn of these bootjacks. Taller specimens are more likely to have lost their bootjacks and appear relatively smooth and columnar. The loss of bootjacks is a natural, if poorly understood, phenomenon, as the palm does not create a leaf abscission zone so the loss of the leaf bases results from some other physical or biological process.
Uses
The growing heart of the new fronds, also known as the terminal bud, gives the tree its "cabbage" name, since this is extracted as a food and tastes like other undifferentiated plant meristem tissue, such as the heart of a cabbage or artichoke. It is one of several palm species that are sometimes used to make heart of palm salad. Heart of palm was commonly eaten by Native Americans. However, extracting the heart kills this species of palm, because the terminal bud is the only point from which the palm can grow, so without this bud, the palm is not able to replace old leaves and eventually dies.
The cabbage-like terminal bud has been eaten as hearts of palm. The bristles on the sheaths of young leaves have been made into scrubbing brushes. The trunks have been used as wharf piles. On June 28, 1776, Charleston patriots under William Moultrie made a fort of palmetto trunks and from it defended successfully against the British in the Revolutionary War.[14]
The fruit is edible raw, and the seeds can be ground into flour.[15]
Culture
The sabal palmetto is the official state tree of both Florida and South Carolina (the latter is nicknamed "The Palmetto State").
The annual football rivalry game between Clemson and South Carolina is known as the "Palmetto Bowl".
A silhouette of S. palmetto appears on the official flag of the US state of South Carolina.[16]
An image of a palmetto appears on the back of South Carolina's state quarter, which was issued in 2000.
Two images of S. palmetto appear on the official great seal of the State of Florida[17] and the flag of Florida.
Flag of Florida (1868–1900)
Flag of Florida (1900–1985)
Flag of Florida (1985–present)
References
-
^ Carrero, C. (2021). "Sabal palmetto". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T87709255A87709290. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T87709255A87709290.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
-
^ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0. Sabal palmetto". explorer.natureserve.org.
-
^ a b c "Sabal palmetto". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 2014-03-22.
-
^ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
-
^ a b Flora of North America: Sabal palmetto
-
^ a b Wade, Dale D.; Langdon, O. Gordon (1990). "Sabal palmetto". In Burns, Russell M.; Honkala, Barbara H. (eds.). Hardwoods. Silvics of North America. Washington, D.C.: United States Forest Service (USFS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Vol. 2. Retrieved 2014-03-22 – via Southern Research Station.
-
^ James M. Stephens (1994). "Cabbage, Swamp — Sabal palmetto (Walt.) Lodd ex Schult. & Schult.f., Fact Sheet HS-571" (PDF). University of Florida, Florida Cooperative Extension Service.
-
^ "A new cultivar of Sabal palmetto" (PDF). Palm Tree General Description. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-07-08. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
-
^ Weakley, Alan S. (24 April 2022). "Flora of the Southeastern United States" (PDF). University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Herbarium. p. 319.
-
^ a b Van Deelen, Timothy R. 1991. Sabal palmetto. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
-
^ Zona, S. (1990). "A monograph of Sabal (Arecaceae: Coryphoideae)". Aliso. Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden. 12 (4): 583–666. doi:10.5642/aliso.19901204.02.
-
^ Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
-
^ "Real Palm Trees". Palm Tree General Description.
-
^ Peattie, Donald Culross. Trees You Want to Know. Whitman Publishing Company, Racine, Wisconsin, 1934. p36
-
^ The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants. United States Department of the Army. New York: Skyhorse Publishing. 2009. p. 74. ISBN 978-1-60239-692-0. OCLC 277203364.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) -
^ Netstate, South Carolina State Flag
-
^ The Great Seal of the State of Florida
- license
- cc-by-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Wikipedia authors and editors
Sabal palmetto: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
Sabal palmetto (/ˈseɪbəl/, SAY-bəl), also known as cabbage palm, cabbage palmetto, sabal palm, blue palmetto, Carolina palmetto, common palmetto, Garfield's tree, and swamp cabbage, is one of 15 species of palmetto palm. It is native to the Southern United States, the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, and the West Indies.
- license
- cc-by-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Wikipedia authors and editors
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
