Saw palmetto is a
common feature in many southeastern US habitats, and is
always present in Florida scrub. The palmetto clump
pictured here is the silver form from a scrub on
Florida's Atlantic coast. Saw palmetto is a creeping palm
with a trunk that lies on or just below the ground
surface. Within just 3 days following a fire, palmetto
begins to sprout back from its unburned growing tip. Saw palmetto looks a lot like scrub palm, the
other low-growing palm in Florida scrubs. See the scrub
palm profile to distinguish the two. Saw palmetto berries
are an important food for many wildlife species including
bears, raccoons, possums, and various insects. The
berries also have found a medicinal use for humans in the
treatment and prevention of enlarged prostate gland.
Within the last couple of years, the unregulated harvest
of wild saw palmetto berries has, in some areas,
degenerated into a free-for-all, with turf battles and
claim-staking reminiscent of the Alaska gold rush.
Plants of The Florida Scrub 
Saw palmetto is a
common feature in many southeastern US habitats, and is
always present in Florida scrub. The palmetto clump
pictured here is the silver form from a scrub on
Florida's Atlantic coast. Saw palmetto is a creeping palm
with a trunk that lies on or just below the ground
surface. Within just 3 days following a fire, palmetto
begins to sprout back from its unburned growing tip. Saw palmetto looks a lot like scrub palm, the
other low-growing palm in Florida scrubs. See the scrub
palm profile to distinguish the two. Saw palmetto berries
are an important food for many wildlife species including
bears, raccoons, possums, and various insects. The
berries also have found a medicinal use for humans in the
treatment and prevention of enlarged prostate gland.
Within the last couple of years, the unregulated harvest
of wild saw palmetto berries has, in some areas,
degenerated into a free-for-all, with turf battles and
claim-staking reminiscent of the Alaska gold rush. 
