Palmetto Utility and Swamp Fashion

All throughout the swamps of southeastern Louisiana the most memorable understory shrub is the Dwarf Palmetto. Out of 2500 plus varieties of palm in the world, this is one of only a dozen native to the United States. Looking back to the civil war days, during tough times, palmetto hats became commonplace across the south. By peeling back the fronds and boiling them, they become workable and soft. Going further back in history, palms were used to make shelter. By laying the whole leaf in a shingle like fashion you can have waterproof cover in no time!