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Sabal (possibly a native name in South America, but the author of the genus does not explain). Palmaceae, tribe Corypheae. Spineless palms, low, tall, or almost stemless.

Sabal (possibly a native name in South America, but the author of the genus does not explain). Palmaceae, tribe Corypheae. Spineless palms, low, tall, or almost stemless.

The cabbage palmetto (S. Palmetto) grows in groups of a few specimens to several hundreds or even thousands in the rich black soil on the banks of the St. Johns and Ocklawaha rivers of Florida, forming a glorious sight. They are found northward to South Carolina, but they attain their fullest development in Florida, where they always form an important feature of the landscape. Generally they grow in dense groups, but they are more beautiful in all their parts where they have room enough to spread. In southern Florida underneath the crown of leaves is often found a dense wreath of ferns (Polypodium aureum), which heightens the charm of these palms considerably. On the St. Johns the trunk is often covered with the trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans), or it is hidden by the dense foliage of the cross-vine (Bignonia capreolata), both of which form a beautiful ornament, especially when in flower. These suggestions of nature are often followed by planters who have a feeling for nature-like landscape effects. The cabbage palmetto thrives even in the poor sandy soil, and it is greatly improved by cultivation. Even good-sized trees are not difficult to transplant if the whole stem is carefully dug out and all of the roots and leaves are cut off. If the stem has been set at least 3 feet deep and the soil is kept well watered after planting, the palmetto is almost sure to live. In addition to the palmetto, all of the sabals mentioned in this work are cultivated by the undersigned on high pine land in southern Florida. Under these conditions the sabals have proved a great success, as also all species of Phoenix and all Cocos of the australis type, while the species of Washingtonia, Erythea, Livistona, and Trachycarpus have been an entire failure. S. Blackburniana is, in the judgment of some, the finest of all the fan-leaved palms that can be grown in Florida. All the species that form trunks are objects of great beauty when well grown. They need to be well fertilized, or the lower leaves will suffer and finally die, thus detracting much from the elegance of the specimen. They all grow naturally in rich black soil, but they all thrive exceedingly well in the sandy pine-woods soil if well fertilized and watered; in fact, they can hardly be fertilized too much, and the more nitrogenous manure and water they get the faster they grow. When transplanted they must be set deep. In planting palms make a hollow about 6 feet in diameter and about 2 feet deep in the center. This center, which receives the plant, is the deepest point, while the ground all around is slightly sloping. Care must be taken to remove the sand after heavy rains or the crown will soon be buried and the little plant dies. As the palm first forms the trunk in the soil and as the growth is rather rapid, this precaution is not necessary after the plant has attained a few feet in size.

The cabbage palmetto (S. Palmetto) grows in groups of a few specimens to several hundreds or even thousands in the rich black soil on the banks of the St. Johns and Ocklawaha rivers of Florida, forming a glorious sight. They are found northward to South Carolina, but they attain their fullest development in Florida, where they always form an important feature of the landscape. Generally they grow in dense groups, but they are more beautiful in all their parts where they have room enough to spread. In southern Florida underneath the crown of leaves is often found a dense wreath of ferns (Polypodium aureum), which heightens the charm of these palms considerably. On the St. Johns the trunk is often covered with the trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans), or it is hidden by the dense foliage of the cross-vine (Bignonia capreolata), both of which form a beautiful ornament, especially when in flower. These suggestions of nature are often followed by planters who have a feeling for nature-like landscape effects. The cabbage palmetto thrives even in the poor sandy soil, and it is greatly improved by cultivation. Even good-sized trees are not difficult to transplant if the whole stem is carefully dug out and all of the roots and leaves are cut off. If the stem has been set at least 3 feet deep and the soil is kept well watered after planting, the palmetto is almost sure to live. In addition to the palmetto, all of the sabals mentioned in this work are cultivated by the undersigned on high pine land in southern Florida. Under these conditions the sabals have proved a great success, as also all species of Phoenix and all Cocos of the australis type, while the species of Washingtonia, Erythea, Livistona, and Trachycarpus have been an entire failure. S. Blackburniana is, in the judgment of some, the finest of all the fan-leaved palms that can be grown in Florida. All the species that form trunks are objects of great beauty when well grown. They need to be well fertilized, or the lower leaves will suffer and finally die, thus detracting much from the elegance of the specimen. They all grow naturally in rich black soil, but they all thrive exceedingly well in the sandy pine-woods soil if well fertilized and watered; in fact, they can hardly be fertilized too much, and the more nitrogenous manure and water they get the faster they grow. When transplanted they must be set deep. In planting palms make a hollow about 6 feet in diameter and about 2 feet deep in the center. This center, which receives the plant, is the deepest point, while the ground all around is slightly sloping. Care must be taken to remove the sand after heavy rains or the crown will soon be buried and the little plant dies. As the palm first forms the trunk in the soil and as the growth is rather rapid, this precaution is not necessary after the plant has attained a few feet in size.

The following are mostly trade names, but at present they can be only imperfectly described: S. caerulescens, Bull. A native of Colombia intro. in 1875. Apparently only the juvenile state has been described. Lvs. elongate, linear-lanceolate, plicate, with a bluish or glaucous green color which is very strongly marked on the under surface. Nehrling writes that he cannot distinguish at present his specimens of S. caerulescens from S. glaucescens. -S.dealbata, Hort. "This species," writes Nehrling, "reminds one of S. Mocinii, although it is smaller in all its parts. The lvs. are numerous, glaucous green and of a fine fan-shaped form. Compared with the sabals that form a trunk, these stemless species have little beauty, though they look well as foliage plants in company with Cycas revoluta and Dioon edule." The name "dealbata" means whitened, but it appears to be unrecognized in botanical literature in connection with Sabal. — S. Ghiesbrechtii, Hort., is S. Palmetto, at least so far as some gardens are concerned, but Beccari considers it a European name applied to cult. plants of S. Palmetto. — S. glauca, Hort. Pitcher & Manda, 1895, may possibly be meant for S. glaucescens. — S. havanensis, Lodd., according to Nehrling, "is a more upright grower than S. Blackburniana, has a slender st. and the lf. -stalks are longer and thinner. The lvs. have a bluish green color while young, changing to a fine dark green when they get older." Habitat unknown and the name has no botanical standing. — S. Hoogendorpii, Hort., is Livistona Hoogendorpii. — S. javanica, Hort., Pitcher & Manda, is possibly meant for S. havanensis, since Sabal is an American genus and is not known in Java. — S. longifolia. Hort., according to Nehrling "has very numerous, long and slender lvs. which are bright green above and silvery below." — S. longipedunculata, Hort., according to Nehrling, "is a stemless plant with smaller lvs. than those of S. Mocinii and very long and slender stalks." Reasoner adds that the lvs. are glaucous green. The last two are known only by these trade names, and are not certainly referable to any maintained species.

The following are mostly trade names, but at present they can be only imperfectly described: S. caerulescens, Bull. A native of Colombia intro. in 1875. Apparently only the juvenile state has been described. Lvs. elongate, linear-lanceolate, plicate, with a bluish or glaucous green color which is very strongly marked on the under surface. Nehrling writes that he cannot distinguish at present his specimens of S. caerulescens from S. glaucescens. -S.dealbata, Hort. "This species," writes Nehrling, "reminds one of S. Mocinii, although it is smaller in all its parts. The lvs. are numerous, glaucous green and of a fine fan-shaped form. Compared with the sabals that form a trunk, these stemless species have little beauty, though they look well as foliage plants in company with Cycas revoluta and Dioon edule." The name "dealbata" means whitened, but it appears to be unrecognized in botanical literature in connection with Sabal. — S. Ghiesbrechtii, Hort., is S. Palmetto, at least so far as some gardens are concerned, but Beccari considers it a European name applied to cult. plants of S. Palmetto. — S. glauca, Hort. Pitcher & Manda, 1895, may possibly be meant for S. glaucescens. — S. havanensis, Lodd., according to Nehrling, "is a more upright grower than S. Blackburniana, has a slender st. and the lf. -stalks are longer and thinner. The lvs. have a bluish green color while young, changing to a fine dark green when they get older." Habitat unknown and the name has no botanical standing. — S. Hoogendorpii, Hort., is Livistona Hoogendorpii. — S. javanica, Hort., Pitcher & Manda, is possibly meant for S. havanensis, since Sabal is an American genus and is not known in Java. — S. longifolia. Hort., according to Nehrling "has very numerous, long and slender lvs. which are bright green above and silvery below." — S. longipedunculata, Hort., according to Nehrling, "is a stemless plant with smaller lvs. than those of S. Mocinii and very long and slender stalks." Reasoner adds that the lvs. are glaucous green. The last two are known only by these trade names, and are not certainly referable to any maintained species.