Acoelorrhaphe wrightii

Everglades palm

While most palms prefer well-drained soil, the Everglades palm is one of the few that can live in swamps and areas that are periodically flooded. Despite its affinity for moist soil, it is also at home on drier soils and able to tolerate droughts. It is capable of living through frosts in the 20s Fahrenheit and is tolerant of some shading.

Like other native Florida palms, Everglades palm has been harvested from the wild to be sold by nurseries but is now protected by law against such harvesting.

The palm’s foliage looks especially attractive at night when lit from below by floodlights. Since it is a clustering type, it can be planted in a line to form privacy screens. Its spiny leaf petioles also make it a good choice for a protective hedge.

The small black fruits are reportedly edible.