Sabal Palm and Cabbage Palm Tree

Sabal Palm and Cabbage Palm General Description:

Sabal palm and Cabbage palm is a large robust palm with a single unbranching trunk that grows to about 50 feet but may occassionally reach heights of 70 feet. The crown is relatively small being 12-18 feet in diameter. The Sabal palms the crown is typically wider when grown in shade and more compact when grown in full sun.

The Sabal Palm and Cabbage Palm's large leaves have a dull finish and are a medium green, sometimes yellow-green, in color depending on the individual and situation. Each leaf is up to 12 feet long overall including the spineless petioles (leaf stems) which measure about 5-6 feet in length. They are up to 6 feet in width with drooping leaf segments about 3 feet long and 2-3 inches wide. These segments are split to about half the width of the leaf and typically slough off tan fibers at the edges. Sabal Palm and Cabbage Palm leaves are said to be costapalmate meaning that the leaflets are arranged on the stem in a pattern that is midway between palmate (leaflets arranged like the fingers on the palm of your hand) and pinnate (feather shaped).

Sabal Palm and Cabbage Palm (Sabal palmetto) Profile Information

Scientific name:Sabal palmetto
Common name(s): It is also known as Sabal bermudana, Sabal causiarum, Sabal etonia, Sabal mexicana, Sabal minor, Sabal miamiensis, Sabal Palmetto Sabal Palm, Carolina Palmetto, and Sabal Palmetto. All these names come from the Spanish "palmito" that means small palm
Family: Arecaceae
USDA hardiness zones: 8+
Origin: Native to South East United States

Sabal Palm and Cabbage Palm Culture:

Sabal palmetto is very salt and drought tolerant and can be used in beachside plantings. It is able to adapt to most types of soil. Sabal palms and Cabbage palms are easy to transplant if they have at least six feet of trunk. Commercially the palmetto is dug from the wild and all of the leaves are cut from the trunk (care is taken not to damage the tender bud). All of the roots are cut back as well (damaged sabal die anyway and new ones grow directly from the trunk). A new planting of sabals looks like a garden of telephone poles from a distance! If the telephone poles are kept watered they will soon put forth new roots and leaves within a few months. It's recommended that new trees be staked or otherwise supported until established - especially in windy beachfront situations.

Sabal Palm and Cabbage Palm Growth Rate:

Sabal Palm and Cabbage Palm Light requirements:

Partial shade to full sun. It likes full sun but can also grow in a partial shade. Less sun exposure will increase the crown of the palm.

Sabal Palm and Cabbage Palm Tree Water requirements:

Sabal Palm and Cabbage Palms Maintenance:

Easy. The Sabal and Cabbage Palm trees is very much maintenance free.

Sabal Palm and Cabbage Palm Hardiness:

The Cabbage Palm is very durable because it adapts to all kinds of soil and weather conditions. It can tolerate drought as well as cold down to 10F when mature enough. Grows best in the USDA Zones 8a (10 to 15 F) to – 11 (above 40 F).

Sabal Palm and Cabbage Palm Tree Insects and Diseases:

Generally healthy palm

Sabal Palm and Cabbage Palm Tree Propagation by seed:

Propagated by seed.

Sabal Palm and Cabbage Palm Usage:

Sabal Palm and Cabbage Palm Tree (Sabal palmetto) - Hardy Palm Information