The cabbage palm is the state tree of South Carolina and Florida. Its use in building the Sullivan’s Island fort during the Revolutionary War protected Charleston from cannonballs. The tree is not included in the National Grove of State Trees due to its need for warm weather. Native Americans used the tree for medicinal purposes and wildlife feed on its fruits.
South Carolina’s state tree is the cabbage palm, or cabbage palmetto, and it is also the state tree of Florida. The tree’s success in protecting the city of Charleston, South Carolina during the Revolutionary War gave it a special place in state history and endeared it to Charleston residents. The logs cut from the palm were used to build the Sullivan’s Island fort and the British forces firing cannonballs at the structure were unable to damage it because the logs had too much flex or pliability. The display of the palm on Sullivan’s Island in 1776 also led to South Carolina’s nickname, the Palmetto State, and the nickname is proudly displayed on the South Carolina flag.
Cabbage palmetto, also known as Sabal palmetto or Inodes palmetto, grows well in southern climates without harsh winters. The palm’s need for warm weather precluded its inclusion in a special group of the 50 state trees at the National Arboretum in Washington, DC, and the swamp chestnut oak was chosen to represent South Carolina in the National Grove of State trees. Cabbage palmetto doesn’t mind salty ocean air and spray, and is a good tree to plant near beaches.
Legislators agreed to adopt cabbage palmetto as the state tree of South Carolina in 1939. Wild cabbage palmettos can reach 80 feet (24.38 meters) tall, but those used in street landscaping usually only reach 30 or 40 feet (9.14 to 12.19 meters). ). The leaves of the South Carolina state tree resemble a fan and can grow up to 5 feet (1.52 meters) long. People have long used the tree’s buds to make seasonings, and parts of the leaf have been used to build fibers. Hearts of palm can be eaten raw in salads, especially in a dish called hearts of palm salad, and they can also be steamed.
Native Americans used the berries and seeds of the South Carolina state tree for medicinal purposes, including treatments for fevers and headaches. They used the palmetto wood to make houses, drying mats, drying frames, paddles and arrows, and the palm fronds to make baskets. Wildlife feed on the palmetto’s small black fruits, including raccoons, squirrels, woodpeckers, black bears, bats, deer, wild turkeys, robins, mockingbirds, crows, cardinals, blue jays, and warblers. A similar palm to the South Carolina state tree is the palmetto.
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