PalmsSaw Palmetto
Serenoa repens
Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) is a slow-growing palm, hardy in USDA zones 8-11, that matures to about 4-8 ft. It does best in full sun and part shade with low water needs in well-drained, occasionally-dry and very-dry soil. Expect cream and white blooms in spring and summer. It attracts bees, butterflies and moths, stands up well to drought, dry soil and fire.
- USDA zones
- 8-11
- Sun
- Full sun, Part shade
- Water
- Low
- Mature size
- 4-8 ft
- Spacing
- 6-feet-12 feet
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- Well-drained, Occasionally-dry, Very-dry
- Foliage
- Silver, Green
- Bloom color
- Cream, White
- Bloom season
- Spring, Summer
- Attracts
- Bees, Butterflies, Moths, Pollinators, Small mammals, Songbirds
- Tough against
- Drought, Dry soil, Fire, Heat, Humidity, Poor soil, Salt, Wind
- Native to
- SE USA
In the landscape
Data sources
Freeze survival
Will it survive your winters?
Hardiness zones show a normal bad winter. We check the worst one — Saw Palmetto is hardy to about 10°F (estimated from USDA zone 8), so we'll score it against the real coldest nights your area has actually had.
Powered by ~35 years of daily lows from the nearest NOAA weather station. A risk read, not a guarantee — a sheltered spot or mature plant beats the odds.
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