Palms and Cycads

Palms are a prominent part of the Florida landscape. Did you know that they're not actually trees? They are "monocots" (grass-like plants). While not truly trees, palms perform many of the same functions as trees, such as providing cover, removing air pollution, and storing and sequestering carbon.

Cycads are an ancient group of tropical and subtropical plants that have existed since the age of dinosaurs. They dominated the earth then, but are now endangered. There are more than 200 cycad species. Cycads are often mistaken for palms, but are in fact only distantly related. Misleading common names like "sago palm" further the confusion. Read more about cycads.