Fan palm ID request (rare Hawaiian palm)

[Sean Osborne]

I think this is native to Kauai, the leaves are huge (over 5 feet across) and the tree has no trunk at all. Shade lover.

Any idea who this is? I have a second one that needs rescuing.

[Husain]

Looks like Sabal Yapa 

[kylecawazafla]

This was my immediate thought as well, however there isn't a good photo of the entire leaf so I doubted myself.  An overall photo of the entire palm tree would be good giveaway. 

[Sean Osborne]

@Husain @kylecawazafla

I'm not convinced, the pics I'm seeing of Sabal yapa online have some in full sunlight. I have two of these palms, one in fairly deep shade, maybe 1/2 hour dappled sunlight a day, and one that gets 2-4 hours of sun a day. The one in the shade is flourishing, but the one that gets some sun is dying, it's had one leaf only for over a year now. It's not a matter of water or nutrients.

Edit: I just read this in a description: "To ensure a happy, healthy Sabal yapa, ensure it receives full sun, along with regular water. "

This cannot be the same tree, not with those sun requirements.

I was told by a friend that its native to Hawaii, but she could not remember the name. She says it's not a palmetto, it never develops a trunk.

Here's an attempt at some whole tree photos, it's in a pretty overgrown area:
 

[realarch]

Your palm is not a Pritchardia. I’ll leave it to others to determine if it’s a Sabal or not.

Tim

[aabell]

I agree with Sabal yapa

[Husain]

8 hours ago, Sean Osborne said:

@Husain @kylecawazafla

I'm not convinced, the pics I'm seeing of Sabal yapa online have some in full sunlight. I have two of these palms, one in fairly deep shade, maybe 1/2 hour dappled sunlight a day, and one that gets 2-4 hours of sun a day. The one in the shade is flourishing, but the one that gets some sun is dying, it's had one leaf only for over a year now. It's not a matter of water or nutrients.

Edit: I just read this in a description: "To ensure a happy, healthy Sabal yapa, ensure it receives full sun, along with regular water. "

This cannot be the same tree, not with those sun requirements.

I was told by a friend that its native to Hawaii, but she could not remember the name. She says it's not a palmetto, it never develops a trunk.

Here's an attempt at some whole tree photos, it's in a pretty overgrown area:
 

I have several Yapa and in shade also which is healthy 

 

the one you are showing is definitely a Yapa 

[Jim in Los Altos]

Definitely not Pritchardia so it can’t be native to the islands. I agree with Sabal yapa. If you ever read that a particular palm species requires full sun to be healthy, take it with a grain of salt. Dozens of my “full sun required” palms are in full shade and are perfectly happy. Many even look better in full shade than in the sun. 

[tim_brissy_13]

40 minutes ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

Definitely not Pritchardia so it can’t be native to the islands. I agree with Sabal yapa. If you ever read that a particular palm species requires full sun to be healthy, take it with a grain of salt. Dozens of my “full sun required” palms are in full shade and are perfectly happy. Many even look better in full shade than in the sun. 

It’s a really good point Jim that I can’t remember seeing on here but I fully agree. Especially in temperate climates. Sometimes the only sacrifice when putting a ‘full sun’ palm is shade is a bit of growth rate, but I’ve noticed the same that shade or filtered light grown palms are often healthier than those in full sun. May have something to do with our occasional 44C/110F days with northerly winds in summer though!

 

For what it’s worth I agree with the above. Definitely not Pritchardia and definitely Sabal. I’d stop short of saying 100% S yapa but it would be my best guess even without the influence of others. 

[kylecawazafla]

It looks like a Sabal, however the fronds lack the classic costapalmate recurvation typical of Sabal. I wouldn't say not being full sun is a "rule out" for these species. I have seen Sabal yapa in their habitat in the Yucatan and the seedlings emerge from beneath a dense canopy in deep shade, many times. Now that I can see the entire palm, however, it looks more like Chelyocarpus ulei. If this is in Santa Barbara, I believe that would be a more likely option. 

[Stevetoad]

It's either sabal mauritiiformis or yapa. 100% not Hawaiian. both can grow in full shade and most of the time look better in shade. I have both and I can tell you without a doubt it's one or the other and most likely yapa. it will develop a trunk but it will take some time. one of mine is about 12 feet tall and still not trunk.  

[PalmatierMeg]

On 4/23/2026 at 2:07 PM, realarch said:

Your palm is not a Pritchardia. I’ll leave it to others to determine if it’s a Sabal or not.

Tim

Agree with Tim. I have several species of Pritchardia and none of them look remotely like the palm in your photo. But what genus/species it is I don't know.

[aabell]

On 4/23/2026 at 11:13 PM, kylecawazafla said:

It looks like a Sabal, however the fronds lack the classic costapalmate recurvation typical of Sabal. I wouldn't say not being full sun is a "rule out" for these species. I have seen Sabal yapa in their habitat in the Yucatan and the seedlings emerge from beneath a dense canopy in deep shade, many times. Now that I can see the entire palm, however, it looks more like Chelyocarpus ulei. If this is in Santa Barbara, I believe that would be a more likely option. 

On a second look, I think Chelyocarpus is a great suggestion. 

[kylecawazafla]

4 hours ago, Stevetoad said:

It's either sabal mauritiiformis or yapa. 100% not Hawaiian. both can grow in full shade and most of the time look better in shade. I have both and I can tell you without a doubt it's one or the other and most likely yapa. it will develop a trunk but it will take some time. one of mine is about 12 feet tall and still not trunk.  

It's Chelyocarpus ulei 

[Stevetoad]

22 minutes ago, kylecawazafla said:

It's Chelyocarpus ulei 

check out its hastula.  Chelyocarpus has a nice little pointy one. that sticks up like a thrinax. hastula on his palm is flat like sabal yap.   also the leaves a split way more than Chelyocarpus, and they have that silver blue on the tops of the leaf like yapa. every Chelyocarpus I've seen looks like licuala ramsayi with that nice glossy green. The newest leaf is also clearly starting to go costapalmate. 

[kylecawazafla]

Look at the uniform sawtooth ridges of the leaflets which aren't deep and less uniform like Sabal. The hastula looks just like that of a Chelyocarpus to me.  Are you perhaps looking at Husain's photo and not Sean Osborne's which is definitely a Sabal yapa?

[Husain]

1 hour ago, kylecawazafla said:

Look at the uniform sawtooth ridges of the leaflets which aren't deep and less uniform like Sabal. The hastula looks just like that of a Chelyocarpus to me.  Are you perhaps looking at Husain's photo and not Sean Osborne's which is definitely a Sabal yapa?

Chelyocarpus has deeply split in the middle which is not shown here in the subject palm. Therefore I am still saying it is Sabal Yapa

[tim_brissy_13]

 @kylecawazafla I’m usually right with you on ID but I’m not seeing Chelyocarpus here. I do see what you mean with some of the traits, but S yapa has those forked leaflets when young. To me it looks like it’s progressing towards being strongly costapalmate in the future whereas Chelyocarpus tends to have a flatter more Licuala type structure. I’m definitely not confident enough to say I’m certain but still leaning towards S yapa. 

[Stevetoad]

9 hours ago, kylecawazafla said:

Look at the uniform sawtooth ridges of the leaflets which aren't deep and less uniform like Sabal. The hastula looks just like that of a Chelyocarpus to me.  Are you perhaps looking at Husain's photo and not Sean Osborne's which is definitely a Sabal yapa?

I’m not sure what you’re referring to as the sawtooth ridges. But here’s the OPs photo compared to Chelyocarpus. I’m not seeing any resemblance other than it’s a split fan palm. 
 

 

[kylecawazafla]

When I looked at the photo first I immediately though Sabal yapa, but then I looked at it more and then keep on going back and forth! I see your point. In your side by side comparison though, I do see that costapalmate ridge in the OP post so now I can see the Sabal yapa! I should have just gone with my gut! Thanks for "walking me through" it! lol