The Florida Sable Palm or Cabbage palm is a large robust palm with a single trunk that grows to about 50 ft tall. The crown is relatively small being 12-18 ft (3.7-5.5 m) in diameter. Like many palms the crown is typically wider when grown in shade and more compact when grown in full sun.

The leaves are a medium green in color and varies depending on the soil condition. Each palm frond is up to 12 ft. long, including the frond stems which measure about 5-6 ft in length. They are up to 6 ft. in width with drooping leaf segments about 3 ft  long and about 2 in wide.

Palm fronds emerge directly from the top of the trunk which is often covered with old leaf stem bases that are arranged in an interesting criss-cross pattern. Depending on the individual these may persist to the ground even in very old palms. Other trees in the same vicinity may shed their leaf attachments or "boots" as they are sometimes called very early in life revealing a rough fibrous brown trunk. Over time, the trunk will age to a smooth gray surface.