Saw palmetto is a type of small palm tree found in Florida and parts of other southeastern states. It has long, green, pointed leaves like many types of palm trees. It also has branches with small berries. 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. They also used it to treat cough, indigestion, sleeping problems, and infertility. Today people use saw palmetto mostly to treat symptoms of an enlarged prostate. This condition is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Saw palmetto is widely used by medical practitioners in Europe. Doctors in the United States are more skeptical of its benefits.