| Sabal minor | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Arecales |
| Family: | Arecaceae |
| Genus: | Sabal |
| Species: | S. minor |
| Binomial name | |
| Sabal minor | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
Synonymy
| |
Sabal minor, commonly known as thedwarf palmetto,[4] is a small species ofpalm. It is native to the deep southeastern and south-centralUnited States and northeasternMexico. It is naturally found in a diversity of habitats, including maritime forests, swamps, floodplains, and occasionally on drier sites.[5] It is often found growing incalcareousmarl soil.[6]Sabal minor is one of the most frost and cold tolerant amongNorth American palms.
This palm's native range spans on the Atlantic Coast from centralFlorida north toMonkey Island, North Carolina.[6] On the Gulf Coast, it spans from central Florida to centralTexas,Arkansas, north to southernOklahoma and northernAlabama, then south in the State ofNuevo León inMexico.[3]
Sabal minor grows up to 3 meters (9.8 ft) in height, with a trunk up to 30 centimeters (12 in) diameter. It is afan palm (Arecaceae tribe Corypheae), with theleaves with a bare petiole terminating in a rounded fan of numerous leaflets. Each leaf is 1.5–2 m (4 ft 11 in – 6 ft 7 in) long, with 40 leaflets up to 80 cm (31 in) long, conjoined over half of this length. Theflowers are yellowish-white, 5 millimeters (0.20 in) across, produced in large compoundpanicles up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) long, extending out beyond the leaves. Thefruit is a blackdrupe 1 to 1.3 cm (0.39 to 0.51 in) long containing a single seed.[5]
Sabal minor is one of the most cold hardy palms in cultivation; however, it does best when grown in hot and humid tropical summer conditions, and may struggle or grow slowly in cool summer climates. It is leaf hardy to near 0 °F (−18 °C), and has been known to survive brief periods of −5 °F (−21 °C) temperatures. It is generally cultivated in subtropical and warm temperate climates.S. minor can grow in a wide variety of soil types, and is often found submerged in swamps in thesoutheastern United States. It grows in both full sun and shaded locations, though it will do best in the cooler garden zones (below zone USDA 7) in full sun and a wind sheltered location.
In the United States, since the 1960s, cultivation ofSabal minor has spread beyond the deep southern United States.S. minor is cultivated along the East Coast fromFlorida toConnecticut, and on the West Coast fromVancouver BC south toSan Diego. It is a recommended horticultural plant by theVirginia Cooperative Extension.[7] There are several cultivars, including those from theOuter Banks of North Carolina (northernmost strains), and those fromOklahoma andTexas. One popular strain is 'McCurtain', named afterMcCurtain County, Oklahoma, where they are native. These tend to remain trunkless and smaller than those from warmer areas.S. minor is a popular landscape palm in coastal resort areas fromVirginia Beach, Virginia, to southern Texas.
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