The Cabbage palm has been used as a source of food by Native Americans in the southeastern United States. The heart of the palm, also known as the terminal bud has been harvested as a food for hundreds of years.

When harvesting the Sabal palm is cut down and the bark is removed leaving the center core or heart. The heart of the Cabbage tree is pale ivory-colored, crisp, firm, resembling a cabbage head in shape, hence its common name. It can be eaten like cabbage raw or cooked (by boiling, steaming or deep frying).  It has a mild taste of an artichoke.The heart of palm can be used for salads. It is known as a heart of palm salad and often called swamp cabbage. The peeled Cabbage tree bud can be used as a vegetable side dish. Most fresh buds are from Florida.

The heart of the Cabbage palmetto can be canned. Most canned products are from Brazil, Costa Rico, Mexico and Florida.

The Cabbage palm heart is very expensive and considered a delicacy because the terminal bud is the only point from which the palm can grow and without it the palm will die.

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