Sabal

( SAY - ball )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly called Palmetto, this genus needs full sun and moderate water. These plants can either have a trunk or not, and produce small flowers that appear amongst leaves. Palmetto can tolerate sea spray and temperatures down to 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sabal Species and Varietals

The genus Sabal includes 16 species and one hybrid, and is a member of the plant family Arecaceae. The best growing zones for Palmetto are 12-17, 19-24, H1 and H2. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Sabal bermudana (Bermuda Palmetto, Bibby-Tree)
This species is endemic to Bermuda, and is considered endangered due to a lost war against Chinese Fan Palm (Livistona chinensis). Green leaves are between 5 and 6.5 feet longand flowers are yellow-white. Fruits are deep brown to almost black and contain a single seed each. These trees are extremely tolerant of salt, and are hardy down to 7 degrees Fahrenheit. The sap of these trees is harvested to make a strong alcoholic beverage called 'Bibby'.

Sabal brazoriensis (Sabal x brazoriensis) (Brazoria Palmetto, Brazoria Palm)
This species is native to the Texas Gulf Coast, and reaches between 6.6 and 23 feet tall when mature. Leaves can reach over 8 feet long, and flowers are fragrant and white. These are rainforest-dwelling palms that prefer wet soils.

Sabal causiarum (Puerto Rico Palmetto, Puerto Rican Hat Palm)
This species is native to Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and the British Virgin Islands, and its leaves are used locally in the manufacture of hats. These fan palms reach up to 33 feet tall and have between 20 and 30 leaves. Fruits are black and round.

Sabal domingensis (Hispaniola Palmetto, Dominican Palm, Hispaniola Palm, Palma Cana, Latanier-Chapeau)
This species, native to the Caribbean, grows to 80 feet or more in height and spreads to 20 feet wide. Leaves are gray-green, fan-shaped and quite large (up to 9 feet across).

Sabal etonia (Sabal miamiensis) (Scrub Palmetto)
This species is endemic to the state of Florida in the United States, and reaches between 3 and 4 feet tall. Plants typically have between 4 and 7 leaves and produce cream-colored flowers followed by black round fruits.

Sabal maritima
This species of fan palm is native to Jamaica and Cuba, and forms a 49-foot tall tree with between 70 and 110 leaves. Flowers are white to cream colored and fruits are round and black.

Sabal mexicana (Sabal texana) (Oaxaca Palmetto, Rio Grande Palmetto, Mexican Palmetto, Texas Palmetto, Texas Sabal Palm, Palmetto Cabbage, Palma de Mícharos)
This palm, native to Texas down to Guatemala, reaches 30-50 feet tall and 12 feet wide. Leaves are bright green. Flowers are cream to white in color and are followed by black drupes that are about a half an inch in diameter. This species is robust, with resistances to decomposition, drought, and cold temperatures.

Sabal minor (Dwarf Palmetto)
This small palm is native to the southeastern United States and Mexico and reaches 3-6 feet tall and 10 feet wide. Leaves are green to blue-green and the trunk is either short or non-existent. Old leaves fold down against the trunk. Hardy to 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sabal palmetto (Cabbage Palm, Sabal Palm, Cabbage Palm, Swamp Cabbage)
This species, native to the southeastern United States, Mexico, the West Indies and the Bahamas, reaches 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide, though it can get much larger in its natural habitat. Green leaves form a rounded head. Flowers are cream-colored to white and bloom in panicles that extend past foliage. Fruits that follow are black drupes 1.3 inches in diameter. This species is extremely salt tolerant.