Yes, that is how Ripley’s Believe it or Not described the (then) Four-Headed Florida Cabbage Palm that sits in my front yard. In 1988, botanists believed a tree like this could only come around one in a hundred million trees. That was then, this is now.
31 years later, the Four-Headed Palm grew to be a Five-Headed Palm, further baffling botanists and passer-by’s alike.
First located in a desolate spot on our hunting preserve after a controlled burn, my Dad asked for my help in moving this small Four-Headed Florida Cabbage Palm. After all day of digging and building on-site “A” Frame to lift the Palm onto a trailer, we moved this “burnt” Palm to the front yard of his home.
After re-planting, my Dad did not touch the Palm for almost a year. As the Palm took root and began to flourish in its new habitat, my Dad then began to clean off the burnt skin and trim the frowns. It was then you could almost see the Palm grow daily. South Hillsborough soil is great for growing just about anything.
Five years later, while visiting my Dad he said, come on out and look at the Palm. To my amazement, one of the Heads had begun to split. Now, the Four-Headed Palm had become the Five-Headed Palm. Walt Disney has just opened the Grand Floridian and heard of this “so-called” Mutant Cabbage Palm. Representatives came to South Hillsborough in hopes of placing this Palm at the Grand Floridian but could not make a deal with my Dad….He was stubborn that way.
Now, I am the caretaker of this Florida Cabbage Palm. While part of me would like to keep it in the front yard, the other part realizes, one day this whole area may succumb to other types of development. Before that happens, I would like to see this Incredible representative of Florida’s State Tree find a new home where others can marvel at God’s creation.
If interested, send me an email at danny@dannykushmer.com
