Does this palm need full sun?

Yes, it performs best in full sun but can tolerate light shade.

Can I grow this in a pot?

It grows well in large containers while young, but eventually requires a very large space.

Plant guide

Abal Palm.

Acoelorraphe wrightii

Pronounced ah-koh-loh-RAY-fee RITE-ee-eye

Also known as Everglades palm, Madiera palm, Paurotis Palm, Silver saw palmetto

Everglades palm — Photo by Benjamin Tomerlin (CC BY) via iNaturalist

The Paurotis palm is a beautiful clumping fan palm that brings a tropical feel to any landscape. It features slender, multi-stemmed trunks topped with vibrant, star-shaped fronds. This palm is quite hardy and thrives in wet, swampy conditions where other palms might struggle.

Another photo of Abal Palm — Photo by Ben Machado (CC BY) via gbif

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Palm
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Indoor light: Direct sun
Water: Every 2 to 5 days
Mature size: 6 to 10 meters
Growth rate: Slow
Hardiness: USDA 9 to 11
Bloom time: Late spring to early summer

Care

Keep the soil consistently moist as this palm loves water and does not like to dry out. Watch for yellowing fronds which often indicate a need for more magnesium or potassium. Ensure it has plenty of space to spread as it naturally forms a wide clump.

Watering: Keep the soil evenly moist at all times.
Feeding: Use a palm-specific fertilizer during the growing season.
Pruning: Remove dead or damaged fronds to keep the plant tidy.
Repotting: Repot only when the root system has clearly outgrown the container.
Soil: Moist, well-draining, acidic to neutral soil
Soil pH: 6.0 to 7.5
Temperature: -4 to 40°C
Humidity: 60 to 90%
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Lifespan: Perennial, typically 50 plus years in ideal conditions.
Deer and rabbits: High

Signs it needs repotting

Roots growing out of the drainage holes.
Water sitting on the surface for too long.
The plant stops growing during the active season.

Safety

People: The plant is not considered toxic, but the sharp spines on the leaf stalks can cause painful scratches.
Pets: This plant is considered non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Children: Keep children away from the base of the plant because the leaf stems are armed with very sharp, hooked spines.
Contact allergens: The sharp spines on the petioles can cause mechanical skin irritation.
Airborne allergens: There is no notable risk of respiratory allergies from this palm.
Edibility: The fruit is technically edible but generally considered unpalatable and not worth the effort.

How to identify it

Clumping habit with multiple slender trunks
Fan shaped leaves with silvery undersides
Fibrous brown matting on stems
Small orange to black fruit clusters

Height: 3 to 6m
Spread: 2 to 4m
Leaves: green, silver, evergreen
Flowers: white, yellow, 0.5 to 1cm
Fruit: orange, black, Late summer to autumn

Problems to watch for

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

Check your abal palm from a photo

Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your plant and tells you what's wrong and what to try first.

Growing it

Propagation: seed, division
When to plant: spring, summer
Overwintering: In cooler areas, wrap the trunk with burlap if a frost is predicted. Ensure the soil remains moist but not waterlogged during the winter months.
In containers: It works well in large containers for several years, but ensure the pot has excellent drainage and is at least 50 centimeters wide.

Seed

1. Harvest ripe black fruit.
2. Clean the pulp off the seeds.
3. Plant in a warm, moist potting mix.
4. Keep the soil temperature around 25 Celsius for germination.

Group this palm with other moisture-loving plants to create a lush, tropical wetland effect.

Grows well with

Leather Fern · They share similar moisture requirements and thrive in the same swampy conditions.
Canna Lily · The bold foliage of the lily complements the fine texture of the palm fronds.

Similar species

Saw Palmetto · Both are native palms, though the saw palmetto is much shorter and more sprawling.

Science

Family: Arecaceae
Genus: Acoelorraphe
Order: Arecales
Class: Liliopsida
Native range: Southern Florida, the Caribbean, and Central America.
Conservation: It is not currently listed as endangered, but wild populations are threatened by habitat loss in parts of its range.

This palm is highly adapted to seasonal flooding and thrives in the saturated soils of swamps and marshes.

Value to wildlife: nectar source, nesting habitat
Pollinators: bees, butterflies
Uses: ornamental specimen, privacy screen, wetland restoration

Through the year

JFMAMJJASOND

Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Soil reaction: 6/9
Light: 7/9
Temperature: 8/9
Moisture: 8/9
Salinity: 4/9
Nutrients: 5/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Does this palm need full sun?: Yes, it performs best in full sun but can tolerate light shade.
Can I grow this in a pot?: It grows well in large containers while young, but eventually requires a very large space.

Where the name comes from

The name Acoelorraphe comes from the Greek words for hollow and needle, while the species name honors Charles Wright, a noted botanist.

Good to know

It is commonly called the Everglades palm because it thrives in swampy, saturated soils.
The genus name comes from Greek words meaning hollow needle, referring to the shape of the fruit.
It is one of the few palms that naturally grows in large, dense clumps.

Also in

Deer-resistant plants

Keep your abal palm growing

This page is a general guide. Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked.

Get the app

This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.