Cabbage Palm
Sabal palmetto
Family: Arecaceae
Natural History
Cabbage Palms - Photo credit: Larry Korhnak, University of Florida
Although it doesn't produce true wood like a tree, the cabbage palm is a tall, iconic symbol of southeastern coastal environments and has therefore been named the state tree of both Florida and South Carolina. It is found across most of the Florida peninsula and plays an important part in many ecosystems, providing both food and habitat to many animal species. Because these plants are monocots, they do not show any secondary growth or widen with age. They only grow upwards, keeping a clump of green leaves at the top of a skinny, bare trunk.