Texas Palm

Scientific name: Sabal mexicana

POWO Status: Tree

IUCN Red List threat level: Least Concern

GPS Location: 17° 42′ 55.95″ N, 64° 49′ 48.25″ W

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Observations:

Phenological Markers – Sabal mexicana

Common Name: Texas Palmetto, Mexican Palmetto, Sabal Palm
Scientific Name: Sabal mexicana Mart.
Family: Arecaceae

Leaf Phenology

  • Leaf Type: Fan-shaped (costapalmate), with deeply divided segments and prominent central rib (costa); dark green, persistent
  • Evergreen: Yes — retains fronds year-round in tropical and subtropical climates
  • Leaf Flush: New fronds emerge slowly and sequentially from the apical bud at the crown
  • Senescence: Older fronds gradually yellow and die, hanging downward before falling or being shed naturally or through pruning

Flowering

  • Inflorescence: Long, arching, highly branched panicles emerging from among or just below the leaves
  • Flowers: Small, creamy white, numerous, and fragrant
  • Blooming Period: Typically late spring to summer (e.g., May–July in native range), but may vary with local climate
  • Pollinators: Bees, flies, and other small insects
  • Phenological Indicator: Long inflorescences with thousands of tiny white flowers extending beyond or between the fronds

Fruiting

  • Fruit Type: Small, round to oval black drupe (0.8–1.5 cm diameter)
  • Fruit Development: Begins soon after flowering; ripens late summer to fall
  • Dispersal: Birds and mammals (including humans); gravity
  • Phenological Indicator: Clusters of green ripening to black fruits hanging below the crown, sometimes persistent

Suggested Photo Angles

  • Whole palm tree with trunk and canopy
  • Close-up of costapalmate leaves and apical frond development
  • Inflorescences during flowering (extending outward or drooping)
  • Developing and ripe black fruit clusters
  • Senescing fronds hanging beneath crown (optional seasonal indicator)

Notes for Monitoring

Best phenological markers: inflorescence emergence, fruit maturation, and leaf senescence patterns

Sabal mexicana is native to southern Texas, Mexico, and Central America; tolerant of wet soils and occasionally found near rivers or seasonally inundated areas

Flowering and fruiting are highly seasonal, making them effective for long-term tracking of reproductive cycles

Often planted as an ornamental or cultural landscape feature in warm climates

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