Cabbage Palmetto: State Tree of Florida and South Carolina

The State tree of Florida and South Carolina is the Cabbage Palmetto (Sabal palmetto). The cabbage palmetto is found growing in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. A mature tree can reach over 80 feet high and have a trunk diameter of 1-2 feet.

This palm tree is used as a street tree in warm climates. There is a straight trunk with no branches and a single crown with a reach of approximately 12-18 feet. The overall appearance of the trees is stately and elegant. The growth of the crown is stunted when the tree is planted in direct sunlight. The cabbage palmetto is also planted along beaches and tidal areas. They can be seen in rows along highways and in group plantings with other trees. The cabbage palmetto is considered a good selection for noise abatement. These trees are also planted for screening in parking lots.

A single leaf from the cabbage palmetto can reach 12 feet in length, and the leaf stems can reach 6 feet in length and width with the attached drooping leaf segments reaching 3 feet long. There is some tree litter at the base of the trunk. If the area is not kept cleared, the resulting substrata will support plant growth. There are examples of cabbage palmettos serving as the host for ferns and orchids.

Soft white flowers appear in mid-summer. The round black fruit mature in late fall or early winter. The trees are evergreen in the subtropics.

This palmetto tree is hardy in a warm-temperate and subtropical climate and should be limited to Zones 8B-11. It has survived temperatures as low as 25ºF. The cabbage palmetto prefers a moist soil rich in calcium. The trees will tolerate variable water conditions and a range of pH levels and salinity.

The wood of the cabbage palmetto is used commercially for wharf pilings, poles, handles, and some ornamental flat surfaces. The leaves of the cabbage palmetto have been used in the making of canes, scrub brushes, and baskets This tree is resistant to sea spray, wind, and brackish water. The usefulness of the cabbage palmetto includes re-populating cleared or disturbed areas.

The fruit is a food source for black bears, bats, bobwhites, wild turkeys, grackles, and white-tailed deer who eat the seeds from the ground. Gulls, crows, cardinals, and blue jays can be seen eating seeds while they still hang on the tree. In city locations, squirrels and raccoons are attracted to the seeds, too.

The commercially available cabbage palmettos were most likely dug up in the wild and potted for sale. Young palms mature slowly. Formation of a trunk may take up to 10 years. Dead leaves should be pruned from the crown to afford a neat appearance and to dissuade rats from using the crown as a habitat.

The cabbage palmetto has few serious predators. There is some damage from palm weevil, cabbage palm caterpillar, and scales. If the terminal bud of the crown is removed or damaged, the tree will die. The trees grow in urban areas with air pollution, poor drainage conditions, and heavily compacted soils.

Sources

Sabal palmetto, USDA Forest Service, http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/sabpal/all.html
Sabal palmetto, Floridata, http://www.floridata.com/ref/S/sab_palm.cfm
Sabal palmetto, University of Florida, http://hort.ufl.edu/trees/SABPALA.pdf