Sabal uresana

Geoff Stein - Author & Editor

Pronunciation: suh-BALL/ SAY-bull yur-ih-SAN-uh


Common Name: Savannah Palmetto

Sabal uresana , like most of the Sabals that grow here, is a fairly slow growing, but eventually massive palm, very well adapted to most areas of southern California. This is potentially one of the bluer Sabals, but not every individual develops very blue leaves. Some seem more blue as juveniles. This is a Mexican species, native to a fairly dry mountain range up to over 4000'.

Appearance and Biology
  • Habit: solitary with a crown of about 30-40 strongly costapalmate leaves
  • Height: 40'
  • Trunk: single; 14" thick; often covered with split leaf bases
  • Crownshaft: none
  • Spread: 14'-16'
  • Leaf Description: deeply costapalmate; 8' long; sea green to pale bluish-green; leaves divided about half their length with leaflet tips drooping
  • Petiole/Leaf bases: 5' long; light green; moderately channeled with sharp but unarmed edges; leaf bases split markedly and usually retained on trunk entire length
  • Reproduction: monoecious
  • Inflorescence: 6'-7' long- do not extend beyond the crown but just barely; wispy; pale yellow
  • Fruit: 2/3"; spherical and black when ripe
Horticultural Characteristics
  • Minimum Temp: 22F
  • Drought Tolerance: good, once established
  • Dry Heat Tolerance: excellent
  • Wind Tolerance: moderate
  • Salt Tolerance: unknown
  • Growth Rate: very slow to slow with age (moderate in lowland desert climate)
  • Soil Preference: adaptable
  • Light Requirement: full sun
  • Human Hazards: sharp leaf blade (caution when pruning)
  • Disease or Horticultural Problems: none
  • Transplants?: likely a poor transplant species
  • Indoor?: too light needy
  • Availability: rare but usually available at some palm nursery; large plants very pricey and basically not available


Retrieved from "https://www.palmpedia.net/palmsforcal/index.php5?title=Sabal_uresana&oldid=7329"