Sabal Etonia is a beautiful Florida native with white flowers which pollinators love and blue/black fruits which attract birds. It is best grown in full sun and dry to very dry soil. It is most commonly used as a border plant as it does not grow as high as other palmettos. This small palmetto reaches about 5 feet high and wide.
How to care for Scrub Palmetto
Light. Full sun suits it best. It also grows in light shade.
Water. Water while it establishes. Once settled it needs no supplemental water.
Soil and feeding. It needs dry, well-drained sandy soil and prefers acidic conditions. It grows in poor soil, so fertilizer is rarely needed.
Size. Grows to about 5 ft tall and as wide. The trunk is usually underground, and growth is slow.
Good to know. A Florida native from scrub habitats. Flowers feed butterflies and other pollinators; birds eat the blue-black fruit. Salt wind may burn the leaves, so keep it away from the beach.
Sources: Natives for Your Neighborhood (Institute for Regional Conservation): Sabal etonia · Florida Native Plant Society: Sabal etonia
