Sabal palmetto (Cabbage Palm)

An evergreen palm tree native to the southeastern United States, the Bahamas, and Cuba, it grows in coastal areas, moist woodlands, marsh edges, and floodplains. Its single trunk can reach about 65 feet tall and supports a crown of fan-shaped leaves. It tolerates salt spray, wind, and drought. It is South Carolina’s state tree. The leaves have traditionally been woven into baskets, hats, and roofing thatch. The edible heart is known as swamp cabbage; harvesting it kills the tree. Long, arching clusters of small, fragrant white flowers attract bees. Birds nest among the leaves, yellow bats roost in hanging dead fronds, and small mammals eat the seeds. Photographed in Colombia.