This graceful native palm is the Silver Palm, Coccothrinax argentata.

Its common name comes from the silvery-white undersides of its fan-shaped leaves. When the wind moves through the crown, the leaves seem to flash between green and silver.

The trunk is slender and often covered with a woven pattern of old leaf-base fibers, especially on younger palms. Mature specimens develop a small, rounded crown of stiff, deeply divided leaves.

Clusters of tiny cream-colored flowers appear among the leaves. These are followed by small fruits that ripen from green to dark purple or black. Birds eat the fruits and help disperse the seeds.

Silver Palm is native to Florida, the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and parts of the Caribbean. It is particularly well adapted to dry limestone soils, intense sunlight, wind, and salt spray.

It grows slowly and rarely becomes a very large palm, but its silver-backed leaves make it one of the most distinctive palms in a coastal landscape. It is a good example of how Caribbean plants survive harsh conditions while still appearing delicate and elegant.