Plant Description

Saw-palmetto stems may be partially or completely underground and may reach 10 to 15 feet in total length. Typically, the stems lie prostrate at the soil surface, but occasionally they grow upright and reach heights of 15 to 20 feet. Some stems begin to deteriorate at one end as new material is produced at the apical meristem (bud) at the other end. Stem growht has been estimated to range from 0.04 inch/year in southern Georgia to approximately 0.1 inch/year in central Florida. Using these estimates, some saw-palmetto plants may be as old as 500-700 years. Roots are located on the ventral side of the stem and are concentrated near the growing end. Most roots are located within the upper 12 inches of the soil column, however, roots may extend sever feet into well-drained sandy soils.

Approximately 3 to 7 leaves are produced each year and remain alive on the plant for about 2 years. Mature leaves have a palmate shape and can range in size from 1.5 to 3 feet wide. The sinuses between the vanes are split towards the outer edge of the leaf. Leaf color is green throughout most of its range except along the Florida east coast where leaves can be a light bluish-green. Dead leaves remain on the plant for 1 or more years are extremely flammable fine fuels that increase this plant's ability to carry a fire. New leaf tissue will emerge within 1 week after burning.

Saw-palmetto plants produce one to three prominent clusters of many white flowers, called a spadix, during the spring, and fruit matures during summer. However, individual plants may flower throughout the year, but their fruit seldom matures outside of the normal summer fruiting period. Their flowers are insect pollinated and are used extensively by honey bees. The fruit is a single-seeded drupe that is surrounded by a fleshy pulp. As ripening occurs, fruits turn in color from green (May-June) to yellow (mid-August), to orange (September), and then to bluish-black (September-October) when ripe. Fruit production can be quite variable among years. Annual average number of seeds/plant has been measured to vary between 100 and 500 in mid- to late-June, but decrease rapidly until mid-October when no fruits remained on the plants (Hilmon 1968).

Seed germination in the lab averages approximately 55% (Hilmon 1968). Germination began at 45 days after planting, but optimal rates of germination began at 4.5 to 6 months after planting. Germination of seeds planted in the field near Arcadia, FL averaged just 19.5% after 15 months. Shoots emerged from the soil 30 to 60 days after seed germination. Seed germination may be enhanced after passing animal digestive systems. Longevity of seed viability is not known.

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