Saw palmetto, also known as cabbage palm, is a shrubby, dwarf species of palm tree that is primarily distributed throughout sandy, coastal regions of the southeastern U.S. Although it is extremely hardy and slow-growing, it also has the distinction of being the most common and smallest palm tree in the U.S. It is not, however, short on longevity. In fact, some specimens that are still soaking up the sun in Florida were seedlings well over 500 years ago. Saw palmetto berries were widely used as food by Native Americans and are still harvested today, although we now know the fruits are a good source of fatty acids, flavonoids and plant sterols.