Sunday, January 13, 2013

Palmetto Palm Seedling

This elegant fan shaped plant is a seedling of the Palmetto Palm that will eventually grow over sixty feet in height.

Native to the southeast as well as Cuba and the Bahamas, it is tolerant of salt and why you can see it gracing the southern beaches. Despite being a subtropical tree, it is extremely cold hardy able to withstand temperatures as low s -13F for short periods of time.

Interestingly, this palm grows only from its crown sending out frond after frond. The delicacy, heart of palm, is the tender growing center. Removing this heart for market also kills the tree.

I've had hearts of palm only infrequently but since learning of this, I'd rather not indulge but leave the heart to the tree.

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