Palm Trees on the Alabama Gulf Coast

You will find many palm tree species on the Alabama Gulf Coast. Although some are native, others have been brought into the area. These are the palm trees that you might see here.

• Canary Island Date Palm

The Canary Island date palm is an ornamental palm tree. Its massive size gives this tree a grandiose appearance. It can grow up to sixty feet tall. The incredibly thick trunk has a diamond pattern on it. The crown of the Canary Island date palm boasts more than fifty leaves. The leaves are between a foot and a foot and a half long. As the name implies, this palm tree was imported from the Canary Islands.

Canary date palms are at the right in the photo.



• Windmill Palm

The windmill palm usually grows to be about twenty-five feet tall; however, specimens have been found as tall as forty feet. The fronds are between two and three feet in length with dark green leaflets. Windmill Palms can survive in the cold all the way down to five degrees.

Windmill palms are to the left in the photo.

• Sago Palm

The Sago Palm is technically not a palm at all but a cycad. They are actually prehistoric trees. Fossils of this specimen have been dug up all over the world. They can grow to ten to twelve feet high with an eight to twelve feet spread; however, it can take up to fifty years for the tree to reach this size. The leaves are about four feet long and dark green in color. The sago palm prefers sandy soil that drains well.

Sago palms are in the foreground of the photo above.

• Washingtonian Palm (Mexican Fan Palm)

The Washingtonian palm grow very tall, sometimes exceeding one hundred and twenty feet, though most that you will see will be no taller than forty feet. The trunk is thinner than most other varieties of fan palms. The Washingtonian palm’s fronds are a deep shade of green. They require a fair amount of maintenance and need to be trimmed annually. This palm tree is indigenous to the southern half of Baja California and northern parts of Mexico.

• Pindo Palm

The pindo palm is one of the smaller palm trees as it only grows to about twenty feet tall. The bright green fronds have a feather-like appearance. The spring flowers eventually grow into orange fruits that resemble dates. The fruits are edible either fresh or as a jelly. They are native to South America where the fruit’s flesh is smashed and mixed with alcohol for a flavorful drink!

• Sabal Palmetto (Cabbage Palm)

The sabal palmetto palm usually grows to be fifty to sixty feet tall and the trunk can be as much as two feet around. The fronds are between five and six feet long and each has approximately fifty leaflets on it. The pale yellow flowers develop into black fruits. The fruit is a good food source for birds and other wildlife. The sabal palmetto does well in salty conditions near the water.

• Saw Palmetto

The saw palmetto is native to the Alabama Gulf Coast. It is a small fan palm that only grows between three and six feet tall. They usually grow in clumps and prefer the sandy soil of coastal areas or pine forests. The center of the frond has sharp spines that can easily tear your skin open. This shaft supports about twenty leaflets.

• Needle Palm

The needle palm is a small fan palm that grows up to six feet tall. It doesn’t have a trunk; it has a crown from which the leaves grow. The crown expands slowly to allow more leaves to grow. The needle palm has a bush-like appearance. This palm is a native palm tree species. It is very cold hardy and has a high level of drought resistance

Margaritaville Beach Hotel Pensacola

BY BONNIE BARTEL LATINO

A short drive from Gulf Shores, Alabama, and into Florida leads to Margaritaville Beach Hotel, a Jimmy Buffett franchise. Certainly there are less expensive hotel rooms and condos to be found on Pensacola Beach. However, Margaritaville isn’t just a place to stay. As do the laid-back songs of the President of Parrot Head Nation, this hotel conjures up something on which you just can’t place a price. It evokes a sense of tropical escape, a place where travelers need no passports, and the friendly staff speaks English and accepts dollars.


No cash? No credit? No problem.

Framed and enlarged copies of Buffett’s album/CD covers adorn the walls of the beautifully appointed, open-flow lobby. For instance, “Jimmy Buffett: A white sports coat and a pink crustacean.” The title tells anyone all they need to know about the whimsical mind of the genius behind the Margaritaville Beach Hotel franchise and marketing guru that is Jimmy Buffett (J.B.). In the form of his music, books, and items unique to the hotel, it’s way too easy to buy a piece of paradise. No cash? No credit? No problem. Charge it to your room!

By mid-October (2010), when my husband and I visited Margaritaville Beach Hotel, there were no “tourists covered in oil,” British Petroleum, Coppertone or otherwise. There were couples and families on the beach, “blowing out their flip flops” in eighty degree sunshine and scooping up shells in the Gulf of Mexico’s turquoise waters.


Frank & Lola Love Pensacola Cafe

I’d love to tell you about all the wonderful places to eat on Pensacola Beach, but during our three day stay, the food was so good at Margaritaville’s Frank & Lola Love Pensacola Café, we never ate anywhere else. One caveat, on a later visit, the Sunday brunch didn’t match the order-from-the-menu quality. However, with $6.00 bottomless Mimosas and Bloody Marys during Sunday brunch, perhaps one shouldn’t complain.
The nightly specials, usually fresh seafood, are highly recommended and always beautifully plated. Shrimp and Gouda grits arrived with fried green tomatoes, a spinach cream sauce and topped with “sweet potato hash.” An explosion of textures, color and taste worthy of three stars in a hoity toity French restaurant . . . as if any French restaurant would serve shrimp – with grits! Hrmph. Their loss.
My husband suffers from Celiac disease. Each of the darling wait staff could not have been more attentive to his special food allergy needs. Still, perhaps President Parrot Head would be wise to rip a page from his sister’s menu. Lucy Buffett’s Gulf Shores’ restaurant, LuLu’s At Homeport Marina, has excellent gluten-free selections.

Most every table at Frank & Lola’s has a Gulf view—as do most of the lounge chairs by the magnificent outdoor pool, which also has an outdoor tiki bar that serves inevitable drinks like, “It’s Five O’ Clock Somewhere,” “Rum Runner” and “Hurricane.” All made, of course, with award-winning Margaritaville Beach Hotel mixers. JB may rule a nation of Parrot Heads, but the man’s marketing empire seems to be a nation unto itself, one that knows no borders, no limitations.

Radio Margaritaville  
When there is no live music out by the pool tiki bar, not to worry, Radio Margaritaville Beach Hotel plays Parrot Head music there and throughout the hotel’s public areas. The house station mixes in other selections by other contemporary artists, like Bob Marley, skilled at conjuring up an island feel. Tom and I were surprised, but thrilled, to hear songs by two of our favorite artists wafting over Margaritaville Beach Hotel airwaves. You have to believe JB selects every song aired. It’s generous of him to make room for Hawaiian artists like Gabby Puanihi and the late and legendary Israel “Bruddah Iz” Kamakawiwo‘ole. Before his untimely death in 1997, “Bruddah Iz” blended magic paradise dust with his love and knowledge of ukulele, jazz, and reggae to create his unique brand of love for Hawaii’s lifestyle and beaches. As does Jimmy Buffett’s, Bruddah Iz’s artistry has transcended place and time.

“Mother Ocean, I hear your call”

There are various priced rooms depending on if you are on the Sound or Gulf side, or if you opt for a corner room with views of both. Skip the balcony; save a few bucks. We opted for a Gulf-front, king size with balcony. Entering the room we encountered a white partial-wall in which a louvered window with view out to the Gulf immediately created a beach cabin feel. To the left stood a curved wall with a tropical sunset mural. A bit hokey, but it grew on us. Another wall and the ceiling were painted in varying shades of pale blue. On the valance over the sliding glass doors leading to the balcony were JB lyrics, "Mother Ocean, I hear your call." Painted in white on white reflective paint, the lettering was only visible in day light. A duvet and crisp white linens were tucked into the frame of an enormous platform bed. The room was equipped with an I-pod docking-station that we appreciated.

The bathrooms are large and attractive. We particularly liked the seashell light sconces, the over-sized shower and the double vanity that appeared to be made of blue sea glass. Of course it wasn’t, but it certainly evoked that feeling. The mirrors are positioned for Gulf views while guests brush their teeth, shave or apply makeup.
Perhaps what we loved best was the proximity to nature. Monarch butterflies were enroute on their winter sojourn to their own version of Margaritaville—Mexico. We awakened every morning to watch the sun rise over Pensacola Beach pier, then waited for an early rising heron to arrive at the tidal pool. Each morning he stood at attention, solitarily staring out to sea as if he were a lone sailor stranded on a barrier island, waiting to be picked-up by a passing freighter.
We also enjoyed seeing pods of dolphin swim by, mostly in early morning and evening. Do rent beach chairs and umbrellas and spend time in the water, shelling. We brought back a variety of miniature shells that are jewel-like in their perfection. The tiny shells encrusted the beach like glimmering strands of crystal.
Mother Ocean, I hear your call. Like every well-bred Southerner, I always do what my Mama says. I will go back to Margaritaville, the paradise on Pensacola Beach that is more siren’s song than mere hotel.

As of late October 2010, only Phase I of the Margaritaville Beach Hotel Pensacola project is complete — the hotel and the adjacent Land Shark Landing open-air pavilion for afternoon and evening drinks, burgers and music. Projected phases are set to include a restaurant between the hotel and Land Shark Landing; a water park; an outdoor covered dome pirate ship; and perhaps even a volcano that explodes several times per hour like at Magaritaville/Orlando.

All Photos: Tom Latino
[Atmore, AL native, Bonnie Bartel Latino, is a former columnist for Stars and Stripes newspaper in Europe. Her story, "The Rush of Butterflies" won the Military Writer Society of America 2009 People's Choice Award. Follow Bonnie Latino on Facebook and on Twitter, @BonnieBLatino.]

Manta Rays on the Alabama Gulf Coast

The manta ray is the largest species of stingray. The largest specimen documented was over twenty-five feet wide and weighed an incredible five thousand and one hundred pounds. The typical manta on the Alabama Gulf Coast tops out at 15 feet wide and 500 pounds-- still a huge fish!

It has been speculated that manta rays evolved from smaller bottom feeders, possibly the sting rays that are common on the Alabama Gulf Coast. Eventually, they adapted and became filter feeders. Their rectangular mouth is perfect for open-ocean feeding. Plankton and fish larva are the main source of food for the manta ray. Mantas are a food source for small fish-- the smaller fish gain nutrition by cleaning parasites from the manta.

Mantas are prey for sharks and orcas, even though mantas are closely related to those creatures.






Mantas are usually dark in color and can be brown, blue or black on the top. The edges are lighter and they have a white underbelly. They do have some patterns on their skin. Researchers and scientists use these patterns to identify individuals.

The teeth of the manta have changed over time. The teeth in the lower jaw are now covered by skin. The dermal denticles (similar to fish scales) have also been reduced in size and number. Mantas have a tail that is similar to that of a stingray; however, they do not have stingers in their tails. They are not dangerous to people in the water.

Mantas are really curious creatures, and they often swim close to humans. Mantas will occasionally come close to the surface and swim near boats just to check out what is going on up there. They are actually very funny to watch as they really try to interact with people, in a good way.

It is important to never intentionally touch a manta. Touching the ray will remove the mucous layer which protects the skin. Merely touching the manta ray can cause lesions that will take months to heal. This is dangerous to the fish because bacteria can enter the wound and cause a major infection that could result in death.

There is a new program that allows scientists to tag any manta found offshore in coastal Alabama. These tags are the same as global positioning sensors. The researchers can monitor the patterns of migration of the rays. This will allow them to understand where they travel and for what reasons. Understanding their migratory patterns can help scientists learn more about the elusive manta.

It is really important for anyone that sees a manta in coastal Alabama to contact the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. The lab is trying to keep track of the mantas that come into the area