Serenoa repens
(W.Bartram.)Small.
Arecaceae
The Temperate Database is in the process of being updated, with new records being added and old ones being checked and brought up to date where necessary. This record has not yet been checked and updated.
Common Name: Saw Palmetto
General Information
Serenoa repens is an evergreen shrub that can grow up to 3.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine..
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
South-eastern N. America - South Carolina to Florida, west to Arkansas.
Habitat
Low pine woods, savannahs and thickets[
222- Title
- A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Foster. S. & Duke. J. A.
- Publisher
- Houghton Mifflin Co.
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0395467225
- Description
- A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.
], where it often forms substantial thickets[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Also found on coastal sand dunes[
231- Title
- Palms for Cooler Climates.
- Publication
-
- Author
- McMillan-Browse. P.
- Publisher
- Trebah Enterprises.
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- 0 9521952 0 8
- Description
- An excellent little booklet on the subject, though it does not mention many plant uses.
].
Properties
Edibility Rating |   |
Medicinal Rating |    |
Habit | Evergreen Shrub |
Height | 3.00 m |
Growth Rate | Slow |
Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Requires a warm sunny position in a moist but well-drained soil[
231- Title
- Palms for Cooler Climates.
- Publication
-
- Author
- McMillan-Browse. P.
- Publisher
- Trebah Enterprises.
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- 0 9521952 0 8
- Description
- An excellent little booklet on the subject, though it does not mention many plant uses.
]. Plants can succeed in quite dry soils so long as their roots can penetrate to underground water[
231- Title
- Palms for Cooler Climates.
- Publication
-
- Author
- McMillan-Browse. P.
- Publisher
- Trebah Enterprises.
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- 0 9521952 0 8
- Description
- An excellent little booklet on the subject, though it does not mention many plant uses.
]. Growing mainly in coastal areas in its native range, this species is likely to be very tolerant of maritime exposure, though not of cold winds[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
This species is one of the hardiest of palms and succeeds outdoors in warm temperate zones[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. It is only likely to be marginally hardy, even in the mildest areas of Britain, and probably tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Palms usually have deep penetrating root systems and generally establish best when planted out at a young stage. However, older plants are substantially more cold tolerant than juvenile plants[
231- Title
- Palms for Cooler Climates.
- Publication
-
- Author
- McMillan-Browse. P.
- Publisher
- Trebah Enterprises.
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- 0 9521952 0 8
- Description
- An excellent little booklet on the subject, though it does not mention many plant uses.
]. In areas at the limit of their cold tolerance, therefore, it is prudent to grow the plants in containers for some years, giving them winter protection, and only planting them into their permanent positions when sheer size dictates[
231- Title
- Palms for Cooler Climates.
- Publication
-
- Author
- McMillan-Browse. P.
- Publisher
- Trebah Enterprises.
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- 0 9521952 0 8
- Description
- An excellent little booklet on the subject, though it does not mention many plant uses.
]. Palms can also be transplanted even when very large. Although the thick fleshy roots are easily damaged and/or desiccated, new roots are generally freely produced. It is important to stake the plant very firmly to prevent rock, and also to give it plenty of water until re-established - removing many of the leaves can also help[
231- Title
- Palms for Cooler Climates.
- Publication
-
- Author
- McMillan-Browse. P.
- Publisher
- Trebah Enterprises.
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- 0 9521952 0 8
- Description
- An excellent little booklet on the subject, though it does not mention many plant uses.
].
Plants usually sucker freely in the wild and form dense thickets[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The leaf stems have been used in making baskets[
257- Title
- Native American Ethnobotany
- Publication
-
- Author
- Moerman. D.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-88192-453-9
- Description
- Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
].
The plant has been used to make brushes and cordage[
257- Title
- Native American Ethnobotany
- Publication
-
- Author
- Moerman. D.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-88192-453-9
- Description
- Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
].
Propagation
The seed is best sown in a warm greenhouse as soon as it is ripe. It usually germinates freely. Stored seed is more difficult to germinate, it should be pre-soaked for 24 hours in warm water before sowing in a warm greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first two winters. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Although the plant forms suckers, these do not usually transplant well and so seed is the only sure method of propagation[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
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