March 30, 2022

These are the buds of the Saw Palmetto

A plant noted for how slow it's growth is

Although its berries have many uses, their taste -

Has been compared to a "a mouthful of cockroaches".

(To read the article below, sign up for a free JSTOR account. It's a fabulous resource of peer reviewed science journals.)

Location: Cruickshank Wildlife Sanctuary, Rockledge

Sources: Bennett, Bradley C., and Judith R. Hicklin. “Uses of Saw Palmetto (Serenoa Repens, Arecaceae) in Florida.” Economic Botany 52, no. 4 (1998): 381–93. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4256114

https://support.jstor.org/hc/en-us/articles/115004760028-MyJSTOR-How-to-Register-Get-Free-Access-to-Content

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 19, 2021

These are the berries of the Saw Palmetto

On nature preserves, they are illegal to gather

They can be used to treat human some human medical conditions

But humans are not the only critters that matter.

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/stlucieco/2021/08/17/beware-saw-palmetto-berry-poachers/

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

April 30, 2017

Location: Fellsmere, my yard

This is a Serenoa repens,
Saw Palmetto is the common name.
It’s berries are eaten by birds and bears,
And by humans to treat enlarged prostate.

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson