Cabbage Palm

Sabal palmetto

Family: ArecaceaeZones: 7b-11b

true palm
state tree of Florida and South Carolina

Pet & Human Safety

People: Not researchedPets: Not on the ASPCA lists as we read them

Hazardous parts

Not yet checked.

Preparation

None specified for the fruit.

Hazard type

Not yet checked.

Hazard route

Not yet checked.

How complete this information is

The safety information on this page is partial. Where a source covers a point, it is shown; where none does, the page says so.

Toxic to pets

No ASPCA entry found.

Genuinely unresolved for pets as of this research: no confirmed source addresses this species' toxicity to dogs, cats, or horses by its own scientific name. Not researched further: flagging the ambiguous ASPCA '/cabbage' URL for a future pass rather than guessing which plant it covers.

PlotAndPetal cannot tell you whether a plant you found can be eaten. Only someone who can see the plant can identify it.

Poison control

If someone has collapsed, cannot be woken, is having a seizure or has trouble breathing, call 911 now. For any other possible poisoning, call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.

Emergency number source: U.S. federal law (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)(3)), read 2026-10-07.

Naturalist Lore

Historical Background & Breeding Lore

The history of this plant and its name, and how it was bred, where we have them.

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Care

Hardiness zones: 7b-11b
Water needs: Drought- and flood-tolerant once established.
Mature size: 12-35 ft tall, 10-15 ft wide; palmate, fan-shaped leaves up to 5 ft long.
Where it comes from: Southeastern United States, the Bahamas, and Cuba; in North Carolina, occurs naturally only in Brunswick County's Cape Fear area.

Soil & Drainage

Pruning & Flush Rhythm

Feeding Schedule

How to prepare the soil, when and what to feed, and how and when to prune where that applies.

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