Sabal Palmetto

[kedigato]

This is the state tree of both Florida and South Carolina.




They seem to spring up everywhere, you very often see them practically growing out of the same hole as other trees and even telephone poles, making it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to get rid of them without damaging the other tree.

We have them sprouting in various places in the garden and have managed to do away with a few, but there are also some that we can only keep cutting back so that the Hibiscus, etc, can continue to live.

Then, we are letting two clumps grow as they are in the border near the back wall and so will make a nice screening in a couple of years.



www.floridata.com/ref/s/sab_palm.cfm

[victoria]

That's a very attractive tree, Sis. I can't remember them back in the days of SC but I don't specifically remember palms from there .. mainly, Azaleas, Rhodos, Gardenias, Spanish Moss, etc.

The leaves looks sharp rather than soft like my new palm, are they? Good luck if you can make a new screen with them to block out the road a bit.

[kedigato]

No, the leaves are not particularly hard, Sis.

While at The Red Barn yesterday, I noticed this example of how they grow in the oddest places.


Here are 3 growing on the big, old oak. To the left is quite a big one growing from between the roots of the oak, to the right there is another doing the same, and up in the tree itself where the branches come from the trunk, is yet another one!

[victoria]

How extraordinary .. is it an epiphyte? When I have time I must look this plant up, fascinating!