Sanibel • Lee County
Palm Installation in Sanibel, FL
The cabbage palm, or sabal, is native and fits Sanibel's preference for native landscaping, and coconut palms are the one exception the code allows in the otherwise all-native Gulf Beach Zone. What happens after planting matters just as much. The city's Vegetation Committee warns that the hurricane cut, where most of the green fronds are stripped off, is harmful or deadly to palms and weakens them in high wind. It recommends removing only dead or fully yellow fronds and trimming no tighter than the 9-to-3 or 10-to-2 o'clock line. If an existing native palm needs to be moved or taken out to make room, the city requires a vegetation permit to remove protected native trees. For new palms, UF/IFAS says to set them at the depth they grew in the nursery, never deeper, and to brace them with padded wooden supports, never nails. Hodges sets and braces palms that way.
or call (239) 301-9455
Where it comes up in Sanibel
The Dunes
Beachview
Sanibel Estates
Plants and materials that suit it in Sanibel
Questions
Can I plant coconut palms on my gulf-front lot?
The city code allows coconut palms in the Gulf Beach Zone, even though other landscaping there must be native. Removing or trimming any vegetation seaward of the 1974 coastal construction control line requires a city permit, so check with Natural Resources before working near the beach.
Should I have my palms cut back before hurricane season?
The city's Vegetation Committee advises against the hurricane cut, saying it harms palms and weakens them against wind. Remove only dead or fully yellow fronds, and trim no tighter than the 9 and 3 o'clock line.
Can I move a cabbage palm to another part of my yard?
Ask the city first. Sanibel requires a vegetation permit to remove protected native trees and shrubs, and the code encourages transplanting where removal cannot be avoided. Natural Resources staff can tell you whether a permit is needed for a move on your property.