Sabal causiarum (O. F. Cook) Becc., Arecaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate; score: 1 (Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment for Sabal causiarum)

Other Latin names:  Inodes causiarum O. F. Cook

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Puerto Rican hat palm, Puerto Rican palmetto, Puerto Rico hat-palm, Puerto Rico palmetto

Spanish: palma de abanico, palma de collogo, palma de sombrero, yarey

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Palma de sombrero [Sabal causarium (O.F. Cook) Beccari] is the only wild Puerto Rican palm with both fan-shaped leaves and a stout trunk. Its main distinguishing characters are: (1) the stout trunk 1-2 feet in diameter, with the split bases of old petioles hanging down against it; (2) large fan-shaped leaves with very long petioles 3-8 feet long and pleated fan-shaped blue-green blades 3-6 feet in diameter, with a definite midrib curved downward slightly, deeply split from margin to middle into narrow segments alternating with threadlike fibers in notches; (3) many small whitish flowers 3/16 inch long in slender, much branched, spreading clusters at leaf bases longer than petioles or sometimes exceeding the blades; and (4) rounded brown fruits 3/8-1/2 inch in diameter and slightly fleshy. ¶Small to medium-sized tree to 30 feet tall with stout unbranched smoothish trunk 1-1/2--2-1/2 feet thick at base and 1-2 feet in diameter, columnar or slightly tapering upward, and broad evergreen crown of many alternate spreading leaves. The trunk is light gray, smoothish or narrowly cracked, with rings and often with a few holes. ¶The tough blue-green petiole, as long as the blade or longer, has a coarse brown basal sheath encircling the axis and later splitting apart. Concave above and decreasing in width above base from 6 to 2 inches, the petiole is prolonged as an axis or midrib (rachis) nearly half the length of the fan-shaped or palmately lobed blade. Segments of the blade are 1-1/2--2-1/4 inches wide and as much as 4 feet long, stiff and leathery, parallel-veined, dull blue green on both sides, each split into 2 long pointed strips, with a slender fiber or thread arising from each notch. ¶The flower clusters (panicles) are up to 8-10 feet long. There are numerous brown sheaths (spathes) 1-1/4--2-1/2 inches long, each bearing a small lateral cluster (panicle) 8 inches or less in length. The fragrant white stalkless flowers have a white 3-toothed tubular calyx 1/16 inch long, 6 spreading white stamens less than 3/16 inch long, united at base, and a narrow whitish pistil more than 1/8 inch long with short 3-celled ovary and stout style. ¶The numerous smooth fruits (drupes) have thin flesh and 1 rounded brown seed 3/8 inch or less in diameter. Flowering and fruiting perhaps irregularly during the year." (Common Trees of PR and the VI (vol. I), p. 46)

Habitat/ecology:  "Found on coastal plains of northern, western and southwestern Puerto Rico. Formerly growing in groves on the plateau near Punta Borinquén in the extreme northwest." (Common Trees of PR and the VI (vol. I), p. 46)

Elevational range within the "natural range" of the species: "...between sea level and 100 metres (328 ft) above sea level." (PalmPedia)

In cultivation: "Adaptable to different soil types but prefers very well drained soils. The only pest problems for this palm are leafhoppers and the ganoderma fungus. Light: Needs bright sunlight. Moisture: Tolerates dry conditions once established. Mature height: 50' Mature spread: 16'. Cold Hardiness Zone: 8b" (PalmPedia)

Propagation:  In cultivation, by seed (see image captions: PalmPedia).

In cultivation: "Propagation: From seed which germinates in 2-3 months. Warning - very slow growing! Regular irrigation and feeding will improve growth rate." (Floridata)

Native range:  The native range of Sabal causiarum (Arecaceae) includes several areas in the Caribbean (Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico, and the British Virgin Islands). (GRIN)

According to (Little & Wadsworth 1964, p. 46), "[a]pparently native only of Puerto Rico."

"Sabal causiarum has a natural range that includes Puerto Rico, the island of Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti); southwestern Haiti and eastern Dominican Republic, Anegada and Guana Island in the British Virgin Islands, and adjacent Caribbean islands of the Greater Antilles and between sea level and 100 metres (328 ft) above sea level." (PalmPedia)

Impacts and invaded habitats:  (no invaded habitats or impacts known by PIER; please let us know if you know of such information we should add here)

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawaiian Islands	cultivated	PalmPedia (2017) accessed 20180525, image caption: "Hawaii...."
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	cultivated	PalmPedia (2017) accessed 20180525, image caption: "City Botanic Gardens, Brisbane...."
New Zealand New Zealand	North Island (NZ)	cultivated	Golik, Krzysztof (2017) accessed 20180525, photo date: 20171107, "Sabal causiarum in Auckland Botanic Gardens, Manurewa, South Auckland, New Zealand"
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	cultivated	PalmPedia (2017) accessed 20180525, image captions: "Bob Hasting's garden, Spring Valley, CA.", "Huntington Gardens, Pasadena California.", "...Orange County, California....", etc.

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Anegada	native	PalmPedia (2017) accessed 20180525
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	British Virgin Islands	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20180129
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	British Virgin Islands	native	PalmPedia (2017) accessed 20180525
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Dominican Republic	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20180129
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Dominican Republic	native	PalmPedia (2017) accessed 20180525
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Greater Antilles	native	PalmPedia (2017) accessed 20180525
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Guana Island	native	PalmPedia (2017) accessed 20180525
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Haiti	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20180129
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Haiti	native	PalmPedia (2017) accessed 20180525
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Hispaniola	native	PalmPedia (2017) accessed 20180525
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Puerto Rico	native	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) accessed 20180129
Caribbean Islands Caribbean Islands	Puerto Rico	native	PalmPedia (2017) accessed 20180525
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	cultivated	PalmPedia (2017) accessed 20180525, image captions: "Bronx Co. Conservatory of the New York Botanical Garden, NY. Photo by Dr. Christine D. Bacon"; "Augusta, GA"
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	cultivated	Stang, David J. (year unknown) accessed 20180525, photo date: 20070216, "Location taken: Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami, FL USA."
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	cultivated	PalmPedia (2017) accessed 20180525, image captions: "Faurchild [sic] Tropical Botanical Gardens, Coarl [sic] Gables, FL" (multiple photos). "Sabal causiarum, at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota, Florida", "University of Florida in Gainesville, FL.", etc.

Control:  If you know of control methods for Sabal causiarum, please let us know.