A thread dedicated to the FL native palms...

ScotTi

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16/04/08
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This thread is for showing and talking about the palms native to Florida. Get out your camera and give this thread some photos of the natives in your part of Florida.
 
Sabal palmetto (aka Cabbage Palm)- Florida's state tree and found growing in the upland hardwoods, tropical hammocks and flatlands throughout the state.
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Serenoa repens (aka Silver Saw Palmetto) The leaf stems are armed with fine sharp spines that give this palm its common name.
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Acoelorrhaphe wrightii (aka paurotis palm, everglades palm) This is a sun and moisture loving clumping palm. I keep one pretty well cleaned up of the old leaves and I let one hold the natural look with its old leaves.
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Rhapidophyllum hystrix is native to the southeastern United States, central Florida to S. Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi. Photo #4 showing the needles along the trunk that give this palm its common name the Needle Palm.
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The next few posts here will show the native Serenoa repens (saw palmetto) and Sabal palmetto growing in its native habitat. These photos were taken at the Upper Tampa Bay Park. The shoreline here is almost exclusively occupied by mangroves.
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The mangroves give way to the grasses and palmettos growing in native habitat.
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The grasses give way to pines and oaks growing with the palmettos further inland.
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How does one tell the difference between a Sabal and a Washingtonia?

Here are comparison photos...
IMG_3753.jpgIMG_3756.jpgIMG_3754.jpgIMG_3757.jpgIMG_3755.jpgIMG_3758.jpgOlder Sabals and Washingtonia trunks will have a clean trunk without the old leaf bases (often called boots).​
 
Here are comparison photos...
View attachment 22841View attachment 22842View attachment 22843View attachment 22844View attachment 22845View attachment 22846Older Sabals and Washingtonia trunks will have a clean trunk without the old leaf bases (often called boots).​

Beautiful photos showing two great palms. I am a 7th generation Floridan our state tree has feed my family more than a few great meals. I really do love to see a grove of them in their natural state. Good work Scott I enjoyed this post.
 
Sabals growing in the white sands on Honeymoon Island State Park.
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buccaneer ?native to fl
thrinax radiate ready for planting
and cocothrinax argentata in the keys
 

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Yes Andy - Psuedophoenix sargentii are Florida natives. Their habitat is the Florida Keys. Not sure there are any left "naturally" on the Keys that are connected by US 1. There still is a small but thriving population on Eliot Key last I heard.

There are three more Florida native palms left.

Sabal minor
Sabal etonia
Roystonea regia
 
Yes Andy - Psuedophoenix sargentii are Florida natives. Their habitat is the Florida Keys. Not sure there are any left "naturally" on the Keys that are connected by US 1. There still is a small but thriving population on Eliot Key last I heard.

There are three more Florida native palms left.

Sabal minor
Sabal etonia
Roystonea regia

Also a Florida native Leucothrinax morrissi (until 2008 known as Thrinax morrissi).
 
Sabal etonia looks like Serenoa repens except leaf stalks are smooth.
IMG_3853.jpgIMG_3851.jpg :) I have found that S. etonia a much slower grower than S. repens.​
 
Not a palm but a Fl native Cycad. Zamia integrifolia common name Coontie palm.
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