Sabal domingensis

Hispaniola Palmetto. A grand and noble palm with dramatic stout trunk and huge leaves. May tolerate cooler summers. To 10ft in 20yrs.
height 20–30ft
width 15–20ft
tolerates Coast, Cold, Heat, Salt, Wind
water
needs		 Moderate
water
info		 This palm should be watered deeply every week or two once it’s established. Older plants can go longer between waterings, especially in cooler areas. It doesn’t ever want to dry out completely.
hardy
to		 20F
exposure Full Sun – Part Shade
indoor
outdoor		 Outdoor
drainage In Ground: Cactus Mix, In Pots: Cactus Mix, Tolerates Sandy Soil
fertilizing Palm Fertilizer
origin Caribbean
sunset
zones		 8, 9, 12–24

Sunset Zones Map

Outdoor Exposure Guide

Growing Notes

Huge arching fan leaves rivaled among hardy palms only by Sabal causiarum. Plants in habitat grow up to fifty feet, but we don’t see palms this tall in cultivation. They are also quite hefty, with mature trunks in nature up to two feet in diameter. Remarkably cold-hardy for a Caribbean native. Slow-growing.
Performs well in sandy soils, but is also adaptable to heavier soils. Correct yellow stippling by supplementing with potassium and magnesium.
May tolerate chilly NorCal fog belt. Valuable in colder inland zones as big hardy tropical and in deserts for heat tolerance and grand scale.

Special Interest

This palm’s trunk is initially covered in an ornamental triangular latticework of attached leafbases which eventually fall off to reveal a warm grey surface.

More Info

Similar Sabal causiarum from Puerto Rico, Hispaniola and the Virgin Islands has brighter-green foliage, grows more slowly, is slightly more massive in leaf and trunk, and may be less suited to cool-summer areas.
Both species are about equally cold-hardy, although Sabal causiarum suffers less leaf damage from major freezes before regrowing and is likely more salt-tolerant thanks to its coastal origins.