Growth and Management of Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens)
Carrington M, Mullahey J, Tanner G. 1999. Growth and Management of Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens). Immokalee, FL
In July 1996 we began a three-year study of the growth and development of saw palmetto (Serenoa repens). From 1996 to 1999, the general topics that we addressed were (1) biology of saw palmetto, (2) management practices to encourage flowering and fruiting and (3) effects of saw palmetto fruit harvesting on wildlife species that consume the fruits. Work in over 60 study sites in a five-county area in south-central and southwest Florida has yielded much information that should be applicable to saw palmetto management. In this final report, we summarize results of long-running portions often study in a condensed, narrative form. Since December 1998, however, we have conducted research on two new topics: the flowering and breeding system of saw palmetto, and potential effects of fruit harvesting on black bears at the landscape scale. We present results on these topics in the Appendix in a more detailed form.