Sabal bermudana L.H. Bailey (The Sabal Palm) :

Sabal bermudana, known as the Sabal palm, is, at over 200 years of age, frequently listed as the oldest living specimen growing at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (Bown, 1992; Fletcher & Brown, 1970; Govier et al., 2001; Rae, 2011; RBGE, 2012). Edmondson & Rowley (1998) even speculated that the Sabal dated from John Hope’s time as Regius Keeper of RBGE between 1760 and 1786. However, the earliest date most commonly cited is 1822, the year that the plant was transferred, along with much of the collection, from the Leith Walk garden to RBGE’s current site at Inverleith. This article is a summary of its history and cultivation, and offers a description of recent horticultural activities to replace existing supports using novel and possibly unique materials.