Native Florida Palm TreesI'm going to separate this list of native Florida palm trees into two groups: those native to the entire state and those native to south Florida only.
Palms Native to all Regions of FloridaNo list of native Florida palm trees could be complete without the cabbage palm. Sabal palmetto is Florida's state tree and it symbolizes the native landscape. It is found in tropical hammocks, upland hardwoods, and flatwoods all over the state. Its tolerance of high water also causes it to grow in swamps and marshes.
This three headed Sable palmetto is 140 years old. You can see it at Heathcote Botanical Gardens in Fort Pierce, Florida. Though this tall, slim tree is native to the sunshine state, its range extends as far north as southern North Carolina on the coast and northwest Florida inland. This tree is called cabbage palm because the central bud can be cut from the tree and eaten raw or cooked. Of course, when you damage the central bud of a palm tree, you kill the tree. Acoelorrhaphe wrightii is commonly called the paurotis or everglades palm. This sun and moisture loving palm will grow slowly to 30 feet tall and half as wide. This is a clustering palm that is hardy from zone 8b-11. It has a special need for manganese. Feed it regularly to maintain the rich green hue of the leaves.
This is a silver saw palm growing outside the Pioneer House at Heathcote Botanical Gardens in Fort Pierce, Florida. The saw palm Serenoa repens can be grown right on the beach. It is drought tolerant and adaptable to any type of soil. This palm prefers a full sun location where it will grow slowly to a height and spread of 5-10 feet. It is recommended that you plant it at least 30 feet from any building as it is flammable during dry weather. Site it where you want it because it is difficult to transplant. Hardy in zones 8-11. Sabal etonia the scrub palmetto looks just like saw palm except its leaf stalks have smooth edges whereas those of the saw palm are toothed. The two plants can usually be found growing together in nature. The needle palm tree or Rhapidophyllum hystrix is another slow grower that tops out at just 8 feet tall and wide. It prefers half day shade and regular watering which will cause it to grow a bit faster. Don't plant it near the beach because it can't handle salt. Given enough time, this suckering palm will form a dense thicket. Suckers can be dug up and transplanted if you wish to increase your collection.
Sabal minor is a low growing fan palm native to Florida, North Carolina, and Texas.
Two things make the coontie palm special. One: It is Florida's only native cycad. And Two: It is the sole larval food for the Atala butterfly. Atala butterfly.
Native Florida Palm Trees
Coccothrinax argentata or silver palm is a key food source for deer. It exhibits high wind resistance, drought, and salt tolerance. The one thing this sun loving 15 foot beauty will not take is cold. Plant it in zones 10b-11. |
