We had to go through some nasty roads to get into the area where these grow. These plants, sometimes called Windmill Palm or Sawtooth Palm, grow amidst sandy pinelands in the undergrowth of flat woodland areas, usually that are very wet. This plant has berries that have long been believed to have natural medicinal uses.
Saw Palmetto grow naturally in dense clumps and have broad, fan-like leaves. The berries are sheltered inside the thick foliage on small stems attached to the trunk. The hard saw teeth for which the plant is named run along the leaf stalk, making collecting them very difficult. This plant is very fire resistant. They flower from December to March, bearing deep purple berries between April and October. We went through very muddy roads into an area that was flooded from the Black Cypress Bayou. It was a little scarey, thank goodness the Mule has 4-wheel drive.
The Saw Palmetto is now being used as an herbal supplement believed to decrease the risk of prostate cancer.
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