Sabal palmetto, also known as Cabbage Palm, Palmetto, Cabbage Palmetto, and Sabal Palm, is one of 15 species of palmetto palm (Arecaceae, genus Sabal).
It is native to the southeastern US,Sabal palmettogrows up to 65 ft (20 m) in height, with a trunk up to 2 ft(60 cm) diameter. It is a fan palm with the leaves with a bare petiole terminating in a rounded fan of numerous leaflets. Each leaf is 4 to 6 ft long40-60 leaflets up to 2.6 ft (80 cm) long. The flowers are yellowish-white,.20 in (5 mm) across, produced in large compound panicles up to 8 ft (2.5 m) long, extending out beyond the leaves. The fruit is a black drupe about a half inch (1 cm) long containing a single seed. It is extremely salt-tolerantand frost-tolerant, surviving short periods of temperatures as low as 7 °F (-14 °C).
Sabal palmetto is popular in cultivation for its tolerance of salt spray and cold. Most references rate the species as hardy to USDA hardiness zone 8a without protection, although with protection it can be grown in zone 7.
Click on Photo to enlarge
Click on the photo of the palms below to enlarge the picture and to