Sabal (SAH-bahl) uresana (oor-eh-SAH-nah)
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Photo by Dr. Thomas Van Devender.
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Scientific Classification
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Genus: |
Sabal (SAH-bahl)
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Species: |
uresana (oor-eh-SAH-nah)
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Synonyms
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None set.
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Native Continent
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America
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Morphology
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Culture
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Survivability index
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Common names
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Sonoran Palmetto. Spanish – Palma blanca, Palma Azul, palma tacú, tacú.
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Habitat and Distribution
An endemic palm, confined to the Sierra Madre Occidental. Mexico Northeast, Mexico
Photo by Dr. Thomas Van Devender.
Northwest. Range includes parts of Sinaloa and central Sonora, Mexico. Scattered in thorn forest and oak forest along watercourses.
Description
Height: To about 25 to 30 feet. A key diagnostic character is that the petioles are smooth and extend well into the bluish leaf blades. Editing by edric.
Culture
Tolerates hot sun and dry winds. Cold Hardiness Zone: 8a
Comments and Curiosities
Uses: The palm fronds were traditionally used for weaving baskets.
Conservation: Vulnerable.
A big and beautiful Sabal, impressive because of the silver blue color of its fan leaves. While it is locally common in the wild in the Sonora desert of Mexico, it is little used in cultivation both inside and outside that country, which is a great shame. The seeds germinate easily and quickly, growth is reasonably fast, and the plants are very adaptable to a wide range of climates and can even take severe frost. (RPS.com)
Sabal uresana is a stunning Sabal palmetto relative that hails from 3,000' elevation in the valleys and foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental in western Mexico. So far, Sabal uresana has performed well in some East Coast Zone 8 gardens, so it needs to be trialed further north. Sabal uresana is rather slow, but eventually (in your grandkids lifetime) makes a stunning 30' tall tree with costapalmate silvery-green leaves and a contrasting dark brown trunk. (RPS.com)
This is a tillering palm, it exhibits saxophone style root growth (it has a heel), keep top third of heel above soil elevation!
- IMAGE GALLERY
University of Arizona in Tucson. Photo by Thecoldmidwest
Sabal Uresana, Rancho Babisal, Northern Jaguar Reserve, Sonora, Mexico. Photo by Ian Fritz
Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Coral Gables, FL.
Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Coral Gables, FL.
Cuchujaqui east of Alamos, Sonora, Mwxico. Photo by Mark Dimmitt
Cuchujaqui east of Alamos, Sonora, Mwxico. Photo by Mark Dimmitt
Cuchujaqui east of Alamos, Sonora, Mwxico. Sabal uresana leaf showing the petiole extending into the leaf blade, a diagnostic trait. Photo by Mark Dimmitt
Here is a picture of my 5 yr old S. uresana. The blue coloration is becoming more prominent. As you can see by the picture two plants are growing side by side, I will more than likely cut out the smaller of the two palms. Photo by Scott Mcintosh.
Montgomery Botanical Center, Miami, FL. Photo by Dr. Scott Zona.
Encinitas CA. Photo by Geoff Stein
Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden, Pattaya, Thailand. Photo by Geoff Stein
Audubon Center, Oahu, Hawaii. Photo by Geoff Stein
Huntington Botanical garden, Pasadena CA. Photo by Geoff Stein
Southern California. Photo by Geoff Stein
H. P. Lou Gardens, Orlando FL. Photo by Geoff Stein
Sarasota County, Florida. Photo by Christian Faulkner
Los Angeles arboretum, CA. Photo by Geoff Stein
Inland southern California desert. Photo by Geoff Stein.
Inland southern California desert. Photo by Geoff Stein.
Huntington Gardens, southern California. Photo by Geoff Stein
7 years old from seed. San Tan Valley, AZ. Photo by QCHammy
7 years old from seed. San Tan Valley, AZ. Photo by QCHammy
Gainsville FL. Merrill Wilcox's Sabal uresana. Merrill giving scale. Photo by Jason
Gisella Kopsick Palm Arboretum in St. Petersburg, FL. Photo by Jason
S.uresana looks in southern Queensland. No older than 30 years old. Gold Coast Hinterland, Queensland, Australia. Photo by Daryl O'Connor
Deerfield Beach Arboretum, FL. "Front left of the picture is a S. Riverside, planted out at about the same time." Photo by Jerry Behan.
Deerfield Beach Arboretum, FL. "Here are the Riverside on left and uresana right, from a different angle. Note the Sabal palmetto between them is probably 20 or 30 years older, I would guess." Photo by Jerry Behan.
Gizella Kopsick Palm Arboretum, St Petersburg, FL. Photo by Lucas.
University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley. Photo by growin.
Photo by Dr. Thomas Van Devender.
Photo by Dr. Thomas Van Devender.
Photo by Dr. Thomas Van Devender.
Photo by Dr. Thomas Van Devender.
Photo by Dr. Thomas Van Devender.
Montañez-Armenta, María de la Paz. Photo by Dr. Thomas Van Devender.
Montañez, M.P., Mexico. Photo by Dr. Thomas Van Devender.
Kew Gardens, London, UK. Photo by Carstor
Hobart, Tasmania. Photo by nomolos
Peckerwood Gardens, 1 hr NW of Houston. Zone 8b Photo by Ryan.
Peckerwood Gardens, 1 hr NW of Houston. Zone 8b Photo by Ryan.
Peckerwood Gardens, 1 hr NW of Houston. Zone 8b Photo by Ryan.
Photo: palmerasyjardines.com
Photo: palmerasyjardines.com
Photo: palmerasyjardines.com
Photo: palmerasyjardines.com
Photo: palmerasyjardines.com
Photo: palmerasyjardines.com
San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico. Photo by Justen Dobbs.
Nacapule Canyon, Sonora, Mexico. Photo by Zac Hill/Richard Travis.
Nacapule Canyon, Sonora, Mexico. Photo by Zac Hill/Richard Travis.
Southern California. Photo by Geoff Stein
Seed with dried fruit, seed about 1/2 that size. Photo by Geoff Stein
Photo: palmerasyjardines.com
External Links
References
Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.
Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos.
Special thanks to Palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos.
Glossary of Palm Terms; Based on the glossary in Dransfield, J., N.W. Uhl, C.B. Asmussen-Lange, W.J. Baker, M.M. Harley & C.E. Lewis. 2008. Genera Palmarum - Evolution and Classification of the Palms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. All images copyright of the artists and photographers (see images for credits).
Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.