NUMEROUS FURRY MAMMALS AND A WIDE VARIETY OF BIRDS GORGE THEMSELVES ON THE BERRIES PRODUCED BY SABAL PALMETTOS .
A noise comes from above . Several squirrels chase up and down a sabal palmetto , the South Carolina state tree . Standing like silent sentinels throughout our coastal region , these trees famously give our area a tropical or Mediterranean look . But , left to their own devices , they can develop a rather scruffy appearance , becoming the “ shaggy dogs ” of our gardens . It ’ s often difficult to refrain from giving them a haircut .
But nature is not tidy . Sabal palmettos are healthier if they are allowed to shed their branches on their own schedule . Both green and browned branches of these trees , along with the nectar of their flowers and large fruit production , play an important role in supporting our local ecosystem .
NUMEROUS FURRY MAMMALS AND A WIDE VARIETY OF BIRDS GORGE THEMSELVES ON THE BERRIES PRODUCED BY SABAL PALMETTOS .
26 • KIAWAH CONSERVANCY