Hardy Zone: | 7b-11 |
Cold Hardy: | Yes, 10°F with short dips to 5°F |
Mature Height: | 20-25' |
Spread: | 8-10' |
Shape: | Tree |
Growth Rate: | Slow, approximately 2' a year |
Sun Preference: | Full Sun to Partial Shade |
Maintenance: | Easy |
Water Needs: | Average |
Soil Preference: | Well Drained |
Drought Tolerant: | Yes |
Deer Resistant: | Yes |
Tall, Stately, Cold-Hardy Palm Tree native to Georgia that withstands temperatures into the mid-teens, tolerates drought, wind and thrives with nominal care.
Why Choose a Sabal Palmetto Palm Tree?
Sabal Palmettos are native to Florida, Georgia, and coastal regions of the Carolinas, meaning the palm is hardy and thrives in the conditions these areas offer. It’s also cold-hardy and withstands temperatures down to 10°F, unlike many species of palms. If you’re recreating a tropical paradise in your own yard you won’t be disappointed with the addition of this hardy and attractive palm tree.
These mature into large evergreen trees, growing anywhere from 50 to 70 feet tall and sometimes taller. Their thick canopy filled with green fan-shaped fronds can spread 16 to 20 feet. Each green to yellowish-green frond grows about 12 feet long. The rough, single-gray trunk develops vertical lines as it matures, adding additional interest and texture to the palm
In mid-summer, long panicles form filled with fragrant white flowers. The spent flowers develop into small blackberries that are a tasty treat to birds and various wildlife. This makes the palm a great addition to wildlife, pollinator, or native gardens.
The Sabal Palmetto is also known as the Cabbage Palm. It earns its name from the edible portion in the heart of this palm, commonly known as the heart of palm or swamp cabbage. It is considered a culinary delicacy.
Sabal Palmettos are sold with booted or slick trunks. The Booted Sabals are natural palms that have all their “bootjacks” or remaining leaf bases from old leaves that have fallen. This gives a textured, thicker look to the trunk. The Slick Sabals have the spiky boots shaved off, giving them a clean, lean look.
The Sabal Palm works well used as a landscape specimen, accent tree, or planted in groups. It also makes an attractive addition to pool areas.
Is it Cold-Hardy in My Area?
Look no further than the cold-tolerant Sabal Palmetto if you desire to create a tropical paradise in your own yard. The Sabal Palmetto tolerates winter lows down to 10 degrees, and can survive temperatures drops down to 5°F for short periods of time as well.
However, if you’re expecting extreme winter lows you can do a few things to protect the palm. Deeply watering and layering the planting site with organic mulch the day before the cold weather conditions arrive helps insulate the root system and keep it warm.
While the Sabal Palmetto is small you can also cover the canopy in holiday lights or cover the tree with sheets or burlap. This also helps keep the tree warm and the addition of lights bring a cheery appeal to your yard at night.
How Big Does It Get?
Sabal Palmetto Palm Trees eventually mature into a tall tree, putting on about 2 feet of new growth yearly. They can mature to a height of around 20 to 25 feet tall with a spread of around 8 to 10 feet in USDA zones 7b-8.
Due to their eventual large size, you won’t want to plant it under powerlines or in an area where their size can cause interference.
How Much Sun Does It Require?
The palm tolerates a wide range of light conditions from full sun to partial shade.
What About Soil and Water?
Sabal Palmettos thrive in a range of soils that drain well. The palm thrives in everything from sandy to loamy soils provided they have good drainage.
The palm has a high tolerance to drought once established. You should irrigate newly planted trees several times weekly for the first few months after planting. Once established, you can cut back water to every week or two, depending on your local conditions.
Is It Easy to Maintain?
If you’re looking for a tree that won’t end up being the diva of the landscape, then look no further than the Sabal Palmetto. This tough and durable tree doesn’t require much when it comes to maintenance to thrive and look great.
The palm is usually self-cleaning, meaning it will drop the fronds as they turn brown and completely die. If you do have to prune off dead fronds, wait until they are completely brown and die before trimming them from the tree. Even those that are slightly green are providing additional nutrients to the palm.
Although palms are relatively easy to care for yourself, we encourage our professional maintenance service 3 times a year. We offer the Perfect Palm Maintenance Service with only the best products and professionals for your palms.
What About Fertilizing?
Like many palms, Sabal Palmettos should be fertilized three times yearly. Apply the first feeding in early spring, the second in late spring or early summer, and the final feeding in late summer or sometime in September.
Use a slow-release, 8-2-12-4 blend specific to palm trees. Use the amount specified on the package and spread evenly under the canopy. After applying, water the fertilizer into the soil.
Q: Do you deliver?
A: We deliver within a 60 mile radius of our Alpharetta, GA nursery location. We offer two pricing tiers for delivery. For delivery up to 30 miles from our Alpharetta, GA nursery location the cost is $95. For delivery 31-60 miles of our Alpharetta, GA nursery the cost is $195. For potential delivery beyond 60 miles, please call us at (770) 400-9897.
Q: Do you install?
A: Yes. However, we currently only install in the greater Atlanta area. Installation cost varies by product. Once you place your products in the cart, it will display delivery and installation costs. We only install AtlantaPalms.com palm trees and plants. Installation requires delivery by us.
Q: Do you offer a warranty?
A: Yes
Perfect Palm Guarantee™: We guarantee you will receive healthy, high quality palm trees and plants. If you're not satisfied with the health or quality of your purchase within the first seven (7) days of receiving your plants, please give us a call at (770) 400-9897 or email us at support@atlantapalms.com so we can make things right!
60-Day Warranty: Atlanta Palms offers a free 60 day warranty on all plants and trees. If your plant dies during the 60 day warranty, please give us a call so we can discuss a one-time replacement. Replacement plant shipping cost, taxes, delivery, and installation is at the customer's expense.
Purchase a 2-Year Extended Warranty
We also have an extended warranty option on most items available at checkout.
Plants and trees are subject to the forces of nature and may not survive due to extreme drought or temperature extremes. We offer a two-year warranty to ease the worry of these acts of God and protect you from loss. At checkout, you can easily add a two-year warranty to any or all of your plants for an additional fee (determined at checkout).
This is a two-year, one-time replacement warranty. Shipping costs, taxes, delivery, and installation are at the customer’s expense. We do require you to submit a photo to verify that your plant has not survived. Once we have verified your claim, we will issue a store credit to order your replacement.
In order for our trees and plants to thrive they require adequate watering, fertilization, and suitable planting conditions. Neglect or purchasing plants that are not suitable for your growing zone void our warranty guarantee. Submitting a warranty claim is easy. Simply give us a call at (770) 400-9897 or email us at support@atlantapalms.com.
Want to add our 2-Year Warranty to an existing order?
Contact us within 7 days of receiving your order and we will get you set up!
Q: Do you accept returns?
A: All sales are final. We do not accept returns of plants and trees.
We do accept returns of non plant and tree products within 60 days of receipt. Shipping and delivery fees are non-refundable.
Q: What payment methods do you accept?
A: We accept all major credit cards and cash.
Q: What are your hours of operation?
A: Monday - Friday: 8:30-5:00 / Saturday: 9:00-2:00
Q: How often should I water my palms?
A: Newly planted palms should be watered 3-4 times a week for the first month or until the root system is established. The amount of water used depends on the size of the palm. Make sure you water thoroughly to make sure the bottom roots receive water at every watering. The amount of water per palm may range from 2 gallons for small containerized material to 15 gallons for larger palms. Make sure the soil is draining correctly, adding sand to the soil mixture allows water to drain more effectively. Overwatering or bad drainage can cause permanent damage to the roots over time. Placing mulch over the roots can help with water retention. Use caution not to allow the mulch to touch the base of the palm, otherwise it can cause it to rot.
Watering varies depending on the time of year and the outside temperature and weather. Here is a guideline for how much to water in any given season:
Winter: (60 degrees or less) no need to water, except for the first 30 days after installation.
Spring: (75 degrees or less) water palm once a week.
Beginning of summer: (90 degrees or less) 2-3 times a week.
Heat of summer: (90 degrees and above) 4-5 times a week.
Palms in a container or Pot: Palms in a container or pot need more frequent watering than those in the ground. 1-3 times a week depending on the season and weather.
Q: When do I apply fertilizer to my palm tree?
A: Newly planted palms should not be fertilized until they put out a new spear. Apply fertilizer only during the growth season (between April 1 and August 1).
Q: It is a good idea to correctly support larger, newly planted palms?
A: Some large palms will require bracing to maintain stability during the first eight months after installation. Three equidistantly-spaced braces are used to support the palm. If Atlanta Palms installs your palm tree, we will handle the bracing.
Q: When should I prune my palm tree?
A:The only time you should prune your palm tree is when the fronds are discolored, broken or pointing to the ground at more than a 90 degree angle with respect to the trunk. Palms get most of their energy from their fronds, so it’s important to be careful not to remove too many, especially if they are still partially green.
Q: Why are drip irrigation systems preferable to sprinklers?
A: Both drip irrigation and sprinklers are good irrigation systems for your palm trees. Drip irrigation is designed to have deeper saturation into a specific area. Sprinklers (spray irrigation) will only saturate the top 3-5 inches per watering cycle whereas Palms root balls are 2-3 feet deep and require a deeper water saturation to develop new roots. Newly planted palms can suffer root loss in deep water saturation especially during the hotter and drier summer months.
Customer Reviews
Payment & Security
Your payment information is processed securely. We do not store credit card details nor have access to your credit card information.