some incredible arborescent Serenoa repens, Saw Palmetto

[Eric in Orlando]

These Saw Palmetto, Serenoa repens, are growing in a semi-rural area just west of Altamonte Springs, FL (about 15 miles northwest of Orlando). Urbanization has encroached and destoyed this area in the last 10 years.

There are clumps along each side of this private drive entrance. You could see more clumps down the lane. All had strongly upright stemps. I would love to go back and examine the others but the dozens of NO TRESPASSING signs discouraged that.

[Creekside]

They're beautiful, Eric. So many people think of Serenoas as little more than weeds, with no appreciation for their age and form. Thanks for posting.

[Eric in Orlando]

They're beautiful, Eric. So many people think of Serenoas as little more than weeds, with no appreciation for their age and form. Thanks for posting.

I really like saw palmetto. Especially large arborescent clumps like these !

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

I like these under appreciated palms as well. They grow all over the place in SoFla, including some remnant clumps in my backyard, but for some reason they never attain the stature of the Central Florida palms. I see that yours pictured are in a hardwood hammock as opposed to the pine, pine scrub and dune areas that they grow in SoFla. Maybe because these areas have historically burned and kept them small or that the soil is in most cases poor sand or a sprinkling of soil over caprock.

[Eric in Orlando]

Probably a bit of both. The soil isn't great where they are, white sugar sand. The area was probably originally Sand Live Oak (Quercus geminata) but there are also Laurel Oaks (Quercus laurifolia) mixed in.

Most of the arborescent SP I see are in more hardwood forest so much less likely to burn. If they are with pines its usually Pond Pine (Pinus serotina) which grows in moist/wet locations.