Accession Count: 17
Common Name:
Sonoran palmetto
Family Name:
Arecaceae
Botanical Name:
Sabal uresana
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
This desert palm tree grows to heights of 25 to 50 feet tall. The large palm fronds grow directly out of the single unbranching trunk and are about five to eight feet long. The drooping leaf segments are silvery blue in color and about three feet long. Fibers hang in between the leaflets. The palm produces white flowers in drupes that later form small black fruit.
Compound:
Sab ure
Geographic Origin:
Northwestern Mexico
Ecozone Origin:
Nearctic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
The species name "uresana" refers to Ures, Mexico, where the plant is quite common. This palm is also commonly known in Mexico as "palma blanca."
Cultivation Notes:
The leaf petiole extends into and through the front as a distinct mid-rib, arched strongly downward. A feature unique to this species.
Ethnobotany:
S. uresana is a highly valued and economically important tree in many regions of Mexico. The new, unexpanded leaves are used extensively to make baskets, mats, rope, and other items. The older leaves are also used to make brooms. The fibers that hang between the leaflets have also been used to make saddle blankets. The trunks of this palm have been used to build corrals and as crossbeams for houses. The sugary mesocarp of the fruit is locally eaten fresh or cooked. Like the S. palmetto, the heart of the palm or the young bud can be eaten, which kills the plant. The petioles of the huge leaves are also sometimes used to build racks for aging cheese, as stirring sticks, or for broom handles.
Height:
20 - 50 feet
Width:
16 - 20 feet
Growth Rate:
Grow Season:
Flower Season:
ForeSummer
Color:
White
Function:
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Hardy
Water Use:
Low water Use
Citations:
1. Jones, Warren D, and Charles M Sacamano. Landscape Plants for Dry Regions: More Than 600 Species from around the World. Fisher Books, 2000.
