Saw palmetto berries are the fruit of the plant Serenoa repens, which commonly grows on the forest floors of South Georgia and Florida. (You may even recognize it in our logo!)

It is a small palm, growing only 7–10 feet tall. It grows in clumps or dense thickets in sandy coastal areas, and as undergrowth in pine woods or hardwood hammocks. Its ripe, edible fruit can be gathered by hand-picking or cutting the fruit-bearing panicle. The fruits are bluish to black when ripe and comparable to black olives in size and shape.

The berry is currently used in supplements to improve prostate health, balance hormone levels, and prevent hair loss in men. In fact, it is in such high demand that the state of Georgia passed a regulation on their harvest in 2020. Violations are currently punishable by fines and/or jail time.

Saw palmetto featured prominently in some Native American cultures; its fruit was often used for nutritional, diuretic, sedative, aphrodisiac, and cough-reducing purposes.