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Palm Tree Zone 2010 all rights reserved
Sabal Palmetto
The cabbage (Sabal) Palmetto is an erect,
unbranched palm tree. It
grows to a height of 33 to 82 feet (10-25 m) with a
stem diameter of
12 to 24 inches (30-60 cm). Typically the stem
diameter is uniform
from the base to the crown.
Leaf bases or "boots" may persist on the stem or
slough off, giving the stem a smooth appearance.
The cabbage (Sabal) Palmetto is an erect,
unbranched palm tree. It
grows to a height of 33 to 82 feet (10-25 m) with a
stem diameter of
12 to 24 inches (30-60 cm). Typically the stem
diameter is uniform
from the base to the crown.
Leaf bases or "boots" may persist on the stem or
slough off, giving the stem a smooth appearance.
Cabbage palmetto leaves are
fan-shaped, palmately divided, and
spineless. They are borne on a
prominately-arching midrib and may be
3 to 9 feet (1-3 m) long. Cabbage
palmetto flowers are perfect,
showy, and creamy to yellowish white.
They are borne in arching or
drooping clusters. The fruit is a black,
fleshy, drupe that contains a
single brown spherical seed. Sargent
(1933 in) described the cabbage
palmetto root system as a short, bulbous
underground stem surrounded by a
dense mass of contorted roots with
smaller, light orange roots penetrating
the soil to a depth of 15 to 20 feet
fan-shaped, palmately divided, and
spineless. They are borne on a
prominately-arching midrib and may be
3 to 9 feet (1-3 m) long. Cabbage
palmetto flowers are perfect,
showy, and creamy to yellowish white.
They are borne in arching or
drooping clusters. The fruit is a black,
fleshy, drupe that contains a
single brown spherical seed. Sargent
(1933 in) described the cabbage
palmetto root system as a short, bulbous
underground stem surrounded by a
dense mass of contorted roots with
smaller, light orange roots penetrating
the soil to a depth of 15 to 20 feet
Reproduction:
S. Palmetto flowers from April through August,
depending upon
latitude. S. Palmetto is insect pollinated. Fruit develops
throughout the
fall, and ripens in winter. Birds and small mammals that
eat the fruit of
this tree aid in seed dispersal.
Embryology:
Seeds are buoyant and salt resistant, requiring no
pretreatment in
order to break dormancy. Germination is hastened by
planting seeds
in moist sand at 3 ° C (38° F) for 30 days. Optimum
planting depth is
1.5 – 3 cm (0.5 – 1 inch) in light soil. Seed survival is
reported to be
low due to consumption by animals. Reported that as
little as 9% of
620,000 seeds produced per acre survived frugivory.
S. Palmetto flowers from April through August,
depending upon
latitude. S. Palmetto is insect pollinated. Fruit develops
throughout the
fall, and ripens in winter. Birds and small mammals that
eat the fruit of
this tree aid in seed dispersal.
Embryology:
Seeds are buoyant and salt resistant, requiring no
pretreatment in
order to break dormancy. Germination is hastened by
planting seeds
in moist sand at 3 ° C (38° F) for 30 days. Optimum
planting depth is
1.5 – 3 cm (0.5 – 1 inch) in light soil. Seed survival is
reported to be
low due to consumption by animals. Reported that as
little as 9% of
620,000 seeds produced per acre survived frugivory.
Palm Trees
During nesting, the female deposits
80-200 eggs which hatch in 48-70
days. Over the........More
80-200 eggs which hatch in 48-70
days. Over the........More
