Cabbage Palmetto
Sabal palmetto
- Native to:
- Bahamas, Cuba, Turks-Caicos Is., United States
Wikimedia: Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius (1794–1868), Ferdinand Bauer (1760-1826)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Arecaceae
- Genus:
- Sabal
- Species:
- Sabal palmetto
- USDA Symbol:
- SAPA
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Tree
- Height:
- 1830 cm
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- white
- Evergreen Shrub:
- Yes
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★★★☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★★☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Echo Moth (Seirarctia echo), Homaledra heptathalama, Io moth (Automeris io), Machlotica sp., palm leaf skeletonizer moth (Homaledra sabalella), Palmetto Borer Moth (Litoprosopus futilis), yellow horned (Atheloca subrufella)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: ⚠️Western honey bee (Apis mellifera)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Mature palms are fire-resistant; fire can help clear understory and promote seedling establishment.
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Warm stratification required — 30–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 30–90 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate best with warm stratification; soak in water before planting.
Where to Buy
Nationwide Seller
- Sheffield's Seed (seeds)