This post complements Chapter 9 Cabbage Palms in the Landscape in my book, The Palmetto Book: Histories and Mysteries of the Cabbage Palm, published by the University of Florida Press.
The urban environment can be a challenging place for trees. A species that makes sense in a park or nature preserve may or may not work well in a parking lot or between a curb and a storefront. The strong desire for natural leafy shade in urban environments can lead to species that outgrow the alloted space– lifting sidewalks or pavement, obscuring storefronts, or posing problems for infrastructure.
These challenges have led landscape architects and horticulturists to the maxim “right tree-right place”, which calls for careful consideration of landscape goals and matching plants to situations.
Our state tree, the cabbage palm, is frequently overlooked in urban areas, typically because of the observation that a single cabbage palm will never produce as much shade as an oak. But there is no rule that prevents the planting of multiple palms to create dense shade. Here are some facts related to the pros and cons of cabbage palms in urban settings.
• Cabbage palms are not bothered by flood, fire, or frost and, according to research conducted after Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jean cabbage palms are our most wind tolerant native tree.*
• Unlike oaks and pines they are insect pollinated, which means they are great for pollinators and do not contribute to human allergies or pollen on cars.
• Cabbage palms can be planted in narrow spaces, within a few feet of a building and do well.
• Cabbage palm roots do not lift pavers, sidewalks, or pavement, and they do not need a tree well.
• Cabbage palms are slow-growing, so they don’t quickly overgrow their alloted space
• Cabbage palms are arguably the most sustainable tree since they are not intensively grown in nurseries from seed, but are sustainably harvested on ranches.
• Although Lethal Bronzing is a serious emerging threat, cabbage palms are typically disease and pest free once established.
• Cabbage palms can live to be over 200 years old (and Sarasota’s extant landscape trees (cabbage palms) were planted in 1911).
• Squirrels, raccoons and many species of birds rely on cabbage palm fruit. • In addition, cabbage palms are the only native tree species that can be successfully relocated at modest cost.
BOTTOM LINE: A single cabbage palm will never produce more shade than a dicot species, but they can be used used en masse to produce dense shade and in some situations outperform other tree species. Right plant — right place. Please note: Not all species of palms have these characteristics.
*Pamela Crawford, Stormscaping: Landscaping to Minimize Wind Damage in Florida. Color Garden Publishing, 2005.
Jono Miller cabbagepalm@gmail.com