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Plant Profile

Florida Cherry Palm (Pseudophoenix sargentii)

Pseudophoenix sargentii in Biscayne National Park. Photo Credit: K. Wendelberger
  • Global Rank: G3 - Vulnerable
  • Legal Status: N/A
  • Family: Arecaceae
  • State: FL
  • Nature Serve ID: 158251
  • Lifeform: Tree
  • Categories of Interest: Palms
  • Date Inducted in National Collection: 04/01/1990
Description:

Pseudophoenix sargentii, also known as the Florida cherry palm, is a medium-sized palm usually found near the sea on sandy or limestone soils. The tree can grow up to 25 feet tall with yellow flowers that are spaced in loose clusters (Brown and Cooprider 2010). This palm is considered to be critically endangered with less than 50 specimens remaining on Elliot Key in Florida (Lippincott 1995). A more recent February 2015 survey on Elliot Key found only three wild adults and none showing current signs of reproduction (Magellan and Griffith 2017).

Where is Florida Cherry Palm (Pseudophoenix sargentii) located in the wild?

Habitat:

P. sargentii prefers habitats near sea level on limestone or sandy soils that are well-drained (NatureServe 2016). Growing in hot regions, this palm is well adapted to erratic rainfall that occurs. Its high tolerance of salt water inundation and high winds makes it suitable for coastal habitats (Brown and Cooprider 2010).

Distribution:

This endangered taxon originates from South Florida, the Bahamas, Beliza, Cuba, Dominica, Navassa, and the Carribbean coast of Mexico (Brown and Cooprider 2010). Today, only one natural individual is known, growing in Elliot Key, Florida (NatureServe 2016).

States & Provinces:

Florida Cherry Palm can be found in Florida

Which CPC Partners conserve Florida Cherry Palm (Pseudophoenix sargentii)?

CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

Conservation Actions

Center for Plant Conservation
  • 11/05/2021
  • Reintroduction

As part of a metapopulation reintroduction, in 1991-1993, Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden planted 199 plants on a Florida Key, a historically known site for the Florida endangered Pseudophoenix sargentii. Plants used for the introduction were propagated at Fairchild from seed of 6 maternal lines. Planting occurred in the summers of 1991, 1993, and 1994. After observing heavy herbivory on plants < 150 cm tall on two Keys, they caged plants reintroduced that were younger than four years old. Over time, they removed cages on any individual that achieved a height of 150 cm. After 1991, they did not plant on the landward side of berms, because of high mortality in that microsite. A high organic nursery soil mixed equally with native soil and leaves back-filled holes for the largest transplants that were in 3 or 10-gallon containers. All plants received water after transplanting, but then received only ambient precipitation thereafter. Hurricane Andrew passed directly over the introduction site in 1992. Janice Duquesnel, FDEP monitored plants every year. By 2004, survival of plants ranged from 13% to 72% depending upon microsite. No plants survived plantings on the landward side of coastal berms. Storm surge following hurricanes is especially severe in these microhabitats.

Center for Plant Conservation
  • 11/05/2021
  • Reintroduction

As part of a metapopulation reintroduction, in 1991-1993, Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden planted 3 juvenile plants on a Florida Key, a historically known site for the Florida endangered Pseudophoenix sargentii. Plants used for the introduction were propagated at Fairchild from seed of 6 maternal lines. Planting occurred July 1991, when daily rains fell reliably. Microsite type was coastal berm, A high organic nursery soil mixed equally with native soil and leaves back-filled holes for the largest transplants that were in 3 or 10-gallon containers. All plants received water after transplanting, but then received only ambient precipitation thereafter. Hurricane Andrew passed directly over the introduction site in 1992. They monitored plants at intervals of one- to four-years. In June 1992, there were 2 plants alive, in 1994 only a single survivor, and by 1998 no plants survived. They concluded that Sands Key was no longer a suitable site for maintaining P. sargentii and suggest that changes in habitats will mean that not all historic habitat will be suitable for reintroduction sites.

Center for Plant Conservation
  • 11/05/2021
  • Reintroduction

As part of a metapopulation reintroduction, in 1991-1993, Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden augmented an existing population of the Florida endangered Pseudophoenix sargentii with 52 seedlings and 9 juvenile stage plants into 5 areas on a Key in Biscayne National Park. Plants used for the introduction were propagated at Fairchild from seed of 6 maternal lines. Planting occurred from May through July, 1991-1993, when daily rains fell reliably. In rockland hammocks, planting required picks, shovels, and steel bars to dig holes. A high organic nursery soil mixed equally with native soil and leaves back-filled holes for the largest transplants that were in 3 or 10-gallon containers. All plants received water after transplanting, but then received only ambient precipitation thereafter. Initially there was high mortality from herbivory on plants < 150 cm tall. Hurricane Andrew passed directly over the introduction site in 1992. They monitored plants at intervals of one- to four-years and have compared reintroduced plant growth and survival to that of wild growing individuals. By 2007, 7 of 10 juvenile plants >0.83 m survived, and 10 of 62 seedlings (<0.83 m) survived. After 12-14 years, reintroduced plants have increased the total plants in the wild by 27% and have contributed significantly to the medium and large juvenile stages.

Katie Heineman
  • 02/26/2021
  • Demographic Research

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden recently created the following status update reporting the results of their long-term monitoring of Pseuophoenix sargentii on Elliott Key, Biscayne National Park. Read the report in its entirety below.

Pseudophoenix sargentii BNP 23Feb2021

  • 10/13/2020
  • Reintroduction

In 2007, Maschinski and Duquesnel studied reintroductions to ensure survival of the U.S. population of P. sargentii.

  • 10/13/2020
  • Seed Collection

In 2009, I found a very healthy population of Pseudophoenix sargentii with many reproductive adults in NE Belize, SW of Sareneja, in the Shipstern Nature Preserve. I collected 200 seed, 100 were donated to the Belize Botanical Garden, 25 to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 25 to Naples Botanical Garden, and 50 were sown by MBC.

  • 10/13/2020
  • Living Collection

Nursery plants from Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden conducted reintroductions from 1991-1993 in 13 locations on Sands Island, Long Island, and Elliot Island found in the Florida Keys. 43% of palms planted were found to be alive in 2004, adding to the 221 wild individuals existing at the time.

  • 10/13/2020
  • Reintroduction

Nursery plants from Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden conducted reintroductions from 1991-1993 in 13 locations on Sands Island, Long Island, and Elliot Island found in the Florida Keys. 43% of palms planted were found to be alive in 2004, adding to the 221 wild individuals existing at the time.

Larry Noblick
  • 01/13/2018

In 2009, I found a very healthy population of Pseudophoenix sargentii with many reproductive adults in NE Belize, SW of Sareneja, in the Shipstern Nature Preserve. I collected 200 seed, 100 were donated to the Belize Botanical Garden, 25 to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 25 to Naples Botanical Garden, and 50 were sown by MBC.

Clarice Mendoza
  • 12/22/2017

In 2007, Maschinski and Duquesnel studied reintroductions to ensure survival of the U.S. population of P. sargentii. Nursery plants from Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden conducted reintroductions from 1991-1993 in 13 locations on Sands Island, Long Island, and Elliot Island found in the Florida Keys. 43% of palms planted were found to be alive in 2004, adding to the 221 wild individuals existing at the time.

Nature Serve Biotics
  • 05/02/2017

Endangered in Florida; little data available on abundance and distribution elsewhere throughout range in Mexico and the Caribbean.

  • 01/01/2010

26 plants and 1 seedling at 1 site on Mona Island (PR) very rare in Dominican Republic

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Nomenclature
Taxon Pseudophoenix sargentii
Authority H. Wendl. ex Sarg.
Family Arecaceae
CPC Number 9208
ITIS 42495
USDA PSSA
Duration Perennial
Common Names Florida Cherry Palm | Palma Kuká | Buccaneer Palm | Cherry Palm | Sargent's Cherry Palm
Associated Scientific Names Pseudophoenix sargentii ssp. saonae | Pseudophoenix sargentii ssp. sargentii | Pseudophoenix sargentii | Pseudophoenix saonae
Distribution This endangered taxon originates from South Florida, the Bahamas, Beliza, Cuba, Dominica, Navassa, and the Carribbean coast of Mexico (Brown and Cooprider 2010). Today, only one natural individual is known, growing in Elliot Key, Florida (NatureServe 2016).
State Rank
State State Rank
Florida S1
Ecological Relationships

Photos
Newsletters
Pollinators
Common Name Name in Text Association Type Source InteractionID
Bees
Bees Confirmed Pollinator Link
Reintroduction
Lead Institution State Reintroduction Type Year of First Outplanting
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Florida Reintroduction 1991
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Florida Reinforcement 1991

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