Sabal minor
Very hardy, slow-growing small palm native to the southeastern United States that forms clumps, tolerates shade, grows as an understory plant with a subterranean or short trunk, and has cold-tolerant ecotypes.
Common Names
Dwarf Palmetto, Bluestem Palmetto, Bush Palmetto, Swamp Palmetto, Scrub Palmetto
Summary
Sabal minor, the Dwarf Palmetto, is a small evergreen palm native to the southeastern United States, it grows as a compact clump with a subterranean trunk, typically reaching about 2–8 feet tall and 3–6 feet wide, and features bold, fan-shaped leaves up to about 3 feet long that give a tropical look, creamy-white fragrant flowers appear on large inflorescences, followed by small dark brown to black drupes, in cultivation, Sabal minor tolerates full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soils, with drought tolerance once established and salt tolerance, hardy to USDA zones 7–11, and propagation is by seed, common landscape uses include understory planting, specimen or border plantings, and adding tropical evergreen structure to gardens, flowers attract pollinators and fruits feed birds, with pest and disease issues being minimal
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
24-84 inches
Spread
48-72 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 7-11
Sunlight Requirements
Tolerates Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade, and Full Shade; best in full sun when wind-sheltered, and may appreciate some afternoon shade during very hot summers.
Soil Type
Highly organic, well-draining soil
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil (moist but well-drained)
Soil pH
No single ideal pH, wide pH tolerance from acidic to alkaline, commonly 6.0–8.0
Bloom Color
White
Bloom Time
Spring to Summer
Foliage Color
Blue-green
Fall Foliage Color
No fall color change; evergreen foliage that is green to blue-green
Leaf Lifecycle
Evergreen broadleaf
Growth Rate
Slow-growing
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Propagation Methods
Seeds
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees, butterflies, other pollinators, birds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (Jacq.) Pers.
- Publication
- Syn. Pl. 1: 399 (1805)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Arecales
- Family
- Arecaceae
- Genus
- Sabal
Synonyms
Rhapis acaulis Rhapis arundinacea Sabal minima Sabal adiantina Sabal caroliniana Sabal deeringiana Sabal floribunda Sabal glabra Sabal speciosa Sabal serrulata var. minima Chamaerops acaulis Chamaerops arundinacea Chamaerops glabra Chamaerops louisiana Chamaerops sabaloides Corypha minor Corypha pumila Sabal adansonii var. major Sabal adansonii Sabal louisiana Sabal pumila Brahea minima