Field journal π ID: Serenoa repens Common name: saw palmetto π΄ Not to be confused with sabal palmetto, whose leaves are folded in the middle instead of flattened out, the saw palmetto is an important part of Floridaβs ecology. π΄ 1οΈβ£ Saw palmetto is one of the plants that is βmost highly used by Florida wildlife,β providing for more than 300 insects, butterflies, bees, flies, and beetles. 2οΈβ£ Saw palmetto is an important player in the fire ecology that Floridaβs habitats have adapted to. If left too long without a burn, these plants can become a severe fire hazard. However, when fire is included in the land management, saw palmettos thrive and are some of the first plants that pop up from the ground just days after a fire. 3οΈβ£ Saw palmetto can live to be more than 2,000 years old. 4οΈβ£ Saw palmetto is a very hardy plantβit can grow in almost any lighting condition and is drought-tolerant and salt-tolerant, meaning it can be found in almost any habitat in Florida (as long as itβs not too submerged in moist soil). 5οΈβ£ The ethnobotanical uses of saw palmetto are numerous, with the leaves being used for thatched roofs, mats, and baskets. π΄ *Some argue that palm trees are not technically βtreesβ and are instead grasses because their trunk is fibrous rather than woody. π± π π΄ #explorida #roamflorida #florida #flstofmind #floridaliving #florida_greatshots #fun_in_florida #LoveFL #monroecounty #sawpalmetto #serenoarepens #palmtree #floridakeys #nature #naturelovers #getoutdoorsfl #southflorida #curryhammockstatepark @visitflorida @thefloridakeys @lovefl (at Curry Hammock State Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpyfHmCOtD4/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
