Dwarf Palmetto
Encyclopedia
Sabal minor, commonly known as the Dwarf Palmetto or Bush palmetto, is one of about 14 species of palmetto
palm
(Arecaceae, genus Sabal). It is native to the southeastern United States
, ranging from Florida
north to eastern North Carolina
, and west to eastern Oklahoma
and eastern Texas
. Although it is mainly found in the southern states, it is one of the only palms that can stand somewhat cooler temperatures, and has been cultivated as far north as southern Connecticut
. It is one of the most frost tolerant
palms, surviving temperatures as low as -18°C (among North America
n palms, second only to the Needle Palm
Rhapidophyllum hystrix). Its cold-hardiness is variable throughout its range with the Oklahoma native population believed by many to be the cold-hardiest population. This palm may be hardy to zone 6B.
The Dwarf Palmetto grows up to 1 m (rarely 3 m) in height, with a trunk up to 30 cm diameter. It is a fan palm (Arecaceae tribe Corypheae), with the leaves
with a bare petiole terminating in a rounded fan of numerous leaflets. Each leaf is 1.5-2 m long, with 40 leaflets up to 80 cm long, conjoined over half of this length. The flower
s are yellowish-white, 5 mm across, produced in large compound panicles up to 2 m long, extending out beyond the leaves. The fruit
is a black drupe
1-1.3 cm long containing a single seed.
Sabal minor is one of the few palms able to survive regions with hard winters. It is grown by gardeners and landscapers for this reason. Often those grown in cultivation are strains from the western end of its range in Oklahoma
and Texas
. One popular strain is 'McCurtain', named after McCurtain County, Oklahoma
where they are native. These tend to remain trunkless and smaller than those from warmer areas. This palm has reportedly been grown as far north as the New York metropolitan area on the east coast of the U.S. without special protection. Further north to New England, adequate protection is needed for the palm to survive through such harsh winters. There is a very healthy specimen outdoors at the National Botanical garden in Washington D.C.
Sabal
Sabal is a genus of New World palms, many of the species being known as palmetto. They are fan palms , with the leaves with a bare petiole terminating in a rounded fan of numerous leaflets; in some of the species, the leaflets are joined for up to half of their length...
palm
Arecaceae
Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
(Arecaceae, genus Sabal). It is native to the southeastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
, ranging from Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
north to eastern North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, and west to eastern Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and eastern Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Although it is mainly found in the southern states, it is one of the only palms that can stand somewhat cooler temperatures, and has been cultivated as far north as southern Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. It is one of the most frost tolerant
Hardy palms
Hardy palms are any of the species of palm that are able to withstand colder temperatures and thrive in places not typically considered in the natural range for palms. Several are native to higher elevations in Asia and can tolerate hard freezes with little or no damage...
palms, surviving temperatures as low as -18°C (among North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n palms, second only to the Needle Palm
Needle Palm
Rhapidophyllum hystrix is a palm, the sole member of the genus Rhapidophyllum. It is native to the southeastern United States, from central Florida to Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Alabama...
Rhapidophyllum hystrix). Its cold-hardiness is variable throughout its range with the Oklahoma native population believed by many to be the cold-hardiest population. This palm may be hardy to zone 6B.
The Dwarf Palmetto grows up to 1 m (rarely 3 m) in height, with a trunk up to 30 cm diameter. It is a fan palm (Arecaceae tribe Corypheae), with the leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
with a bare petiole terminating in a rounded fan of numerous leaflets. Each leaf is 1.5-2 m long, with 40 leaflets up to 80 cm long, conjoined over half of this length. The flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s are yellowish-white, 5 mm across, produced in large compound panicles up to 2 m long, extending out beyond the leaves. The fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
is a black drupe
Drupe
In botany, a drupe is a fruit in which an outer fleshy part surrounds a shell of hardened endocarp with a seed inside. These fruits develop from a single carpel, and mostly from flowers with superior ovaries...
1-1.3 cm long containing a single seed.
Cultivation
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. One popular strain is 'McCurtain', named after McCurtain County, Oklahoma
McCurtain County, Oklahoma
McCurtain County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 33,151. Its county seat is Idabel.-Geography:...
where they are native. These tend to remain trunkless and smaller than those from warmer areas. This palm has reportedly been grown as far north as the New York metropolitan area on the east coast of the U.S. without special protection. Further north to New England, adequate protection is needed for the palm to survive through such harsh winters. There is a very healthy specimen outdoors at the National Botanical garden in Washington D.C.
External links
- Sabal minor in Flora of North America
- Interactive Distribution Map for Sabal minor