Saw palmetto plants can live for many years, with the oldest plants in Florida in the United States of America estimated to be between 500 to 700 years old. Native Americans from the Seminole tribe in Florida traditionally ate saw palmetto berries for food and to treat urinary and reproductive problems associated with an enlarged prostate gland. 

The berry has a distinctive sweet aroma with a taste that is described as slightly soapy and acrid. Also used to treat cough, indigestion, sleeping problems and fertility.