Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Arecaceae

Genus:

Serenoa

Species:

Serenoa repens

USDA Symbol:

SERE2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Tree

Height:

300 cm

Light Requirements:

Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

cream, white

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★★☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Reported Fauna Sightings

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, bees, small mammals, black bears

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Highly fire-adapted; resprouts vigorously from underground rhizomes after fire. Common in fire-maintained pine flatwoods and scrub communities.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

4.5 - 7.0 (acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

Commonly found in pine flatwoods and coastal dunes

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

None required

Germination Time:

60–180 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate erratically over several months. Fresh seed germinates best; removing fruit pulp improves germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI