Buccaneers Don’t Just Have Swords: The Endangered Buccaneer Palm By Ginny Mink With Gasparilla still nipping at our heels, and football season having come to a close, it seemed appropriate to introduce you to the endangered, Buccaneer Palm. Believe it or not, Buccaneers don’t just have swords, some have fronds. The Buccaneer palm’s scientific name is Pseudophoenix sargentii. Some people call this a Cherry Palm or the Sargent’s Cherry Palm. It’s native to Cuba, the Bahamas, Mexico, Belize and South Florida.¹ Buccaneer palm trees are each very unique in their appearances. They come in a variety of colors. Some are light green, blue green, plain green, and some are even completely silver. Their signature swollen trunks come in varying shapes as well.² The Buccaneer palm is the most rare of Florida’s 12 native palms. Most landscaping nurseries won’t even attempt to grow it because it takes a long time to mature, frequently only adding one frond a year. That means it takes about 10 years to even look like anything of value.³ Most people simply don’t have the patience to wait for these trees to fully mature. Due to the Buccaneer palm’s slow growth, many people are completely unaware of its existence. Add to that the fact that it is sensitive to cold, and it’s easy to see why it is not as well publicized as it should be. After all, it is a striking native Florida palm. But, those things that keep it less noticed are the same things that make it a great landscaping option.² These palms don’t usually exceed 10 feet in height when used in landscaping. However, in some of the few existing natural stands, there are those that reach 25 feet tall. The fronds remind palm experts of those associated with the diminutive blue-green traveler’s palm. This is especially true when the Buccaneer palm is still young. Its fronds spread out to create a fan-shaped appearance.² Some people feel that the Buccaneer palm is particularly easy to recognize. They suggest that the light brown rings against the background of its light green trunk are a dead giveaway. And, these same individuals suggest that the fronds are distinct as well. According to Robin Robinson’s piece, “Leathery, pinnate fronds that are dark green on the top and silver underneath are standouts in the lush landscape.”³ While the Buccaneer palm prefers alkaline soils, it can certainly tolerate salt water. Ensuring that the soil is moist, but well drained, is key. And, planting them in full to partial shade will help guarantee their growth.¹ If you were to try to purchase one, you might find a six foot specimen for well over $200. It’s a lot cheaper to learn to grow these yourself. Patience is the biggest requirement.
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One cool thing about the Buccaneer palm is its ability to be a selfcleaning palm. This happens as it matures, but it can save you a lot of tree maintenance if you choose to add one to your landscaping designs. Self-cleaning, when it comes to palm trees, just means that it will drop its own limbs as they get old or die off. Some palms will just let them hang.²
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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
February 2017
Understanding how to recognize these endangered palms and even how to plant them, as a means of rescue, is key to their existence. However, one has to wonder why these trees have become endangered. Research says they don’t have any known pest issues. So, what is causing their demise? Our research led us to the University of Florida’s IFAS Extension of Lee County. They write, “Buccaneer palm, Pseudophoenix sargentii, is an endangered Florida native, once found in abundance in the upper Florida Keys. Wild collecting and development have greatly reduced its numbers…”⁴ So, we are back to humanity being the issue with our native plant and animal species. If people are the problem, as with so many environmental things, they should be the answer, too. Therefore, it seemed prudent to offer our readers a more definitive method for assisting the preservation of these neat looking palms. You can readily germinate the seeds from these palms. They flower year round and attract bees with their white inflorescence. The seeds are found within the fruit, which ripen to a bright red. There is one seed per thin fleshed drupe (or berry).⁴ Gather some fruit. Remove the outer covering, or pulp, and then let them dry for about a week. Next, soak the dried seeds in water for two days. Take your soaked seeds, and plant them. Be sure not to bury them deeper than half an inch. They take six to eight weeks to germinate. That’s when the real patience necessary kicks in. They don’t produce more than one or two fronds a year. Mature ones have between eight and twelve fronds on their crowns. By the way, another notable trait is that, “the broad frond bases wrap around each other to form a bulging crownshaft.”⁴ If your heart is to make a difference in the environment, to protect the plants and animals God has entrusted to our care, the Buccaneer palm could use your help. There are very few natural stands left in Florida. Find out where you can get seeds and then do what you can to add them to your landscaping plans. Resources: ¹Real Palm Trees: The Rare and Endangered- Buccaneer Palm Tree. http://realpalmtrees.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-rare-and-endangered-buccaneer-palm.html ²South-Florida-Plant-Guide: Buccaneer Palm. http://www.south-florida-plant-guide.com/buccaneer-palm.html ³Robinson, R. (2009). Keys News: Stately buccaneer palm requires patience to grow. http://keysnews.com/node/11967 ⁴University of Florida: IFAS Extension Lee County. Pseudophoenix sargentii. http://lee.ifas.ufl.edu/Hort/GardenPubsAZ/Buccaneer_palm. pdf Photo Credits: Treeworld Wholesale- Pseudophoenix Sargentii (Buccaneer Palm- with red fruit)- https://flic.kr/p/KXZpUr Treeworld Wholesale- Pseudophoenix Sargentii (Buccaneer Palm- in pots)- https://flic.kr/p/L2TrGN WWW. INIT FIELD MM AGAZINE.COM WWW. NHE THE FIELD AGAZINE.COM