Palmetto

Sabal palmetto

Range: Southeastern USA, Bahamas & Cuba

This is the state tree of Florida, the quintessential palm of the southeastern USA. It withstands storms, fire, frost, floods, and drought to attain a  height of up to 65 ft. Early inhabitants of Florida used the leaves as thatch for roofing, a practice that continues today. Its stems have been used for construction, and its bud was harvested as a vegetable “heart of palm.”