Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens): Native Palm for Wildlife and Medicine

Saw Palmetto: The Hardy Palm of the Southeast

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is a low, clumping palm native to the southeastern United States. Its fan-shaped leaves have sharp, saw-toothed petioles (hence the name). It produces fragrant, creamy-white flowers in spring, followed by blue-black berries that are a critical food for wildlife and the source of a popular prostate health supplement.

Botanical Profile

This slow-growing, long-lived palm forms dense thickets 3–6 feet tall (occasionally to 10 feet). It's extremely drought, fire, and salt tolerant. The berries are high in fatty acids and phytosterols.

Uses and Ecology

• Wildlife food: Berries eaten by bears, deer, birds, raccoons; flowers feed bees.
• Medicinal: Berry extract used for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
• Landscape: Excellent for coastal, xeriscape, and native gardens.
• Erosion control: Rhizomatous roots stabilize soil.

Grow in full sun to shade, well-drained soil. Very low maintenance. Transplanting is difficult due to deep roots; best planted from container. Hardy in USDA zones 8–11.