The petioles are armed with numerous sharp, needle-like spines; these may protect the stem growing point from browsing animals.

The prophyll covers the flowers on the inflorescence until the sexual phase (anthesis) and then splits open apically into two triangular lobes.

The seed (usually 0.6–0.8 g or 1⁄50–3⁄100 oz) contains a small cylindrical embryo, which is surrounded by several layers, from inner to outer as follows: Chamaerops humilis is one of only two palm species native to continental Europe, the other being Phoenix theophrasti.

It is mainly found in southwestern Europe, over all the south coasts of Spain and Portugal, central and southern Italy, parts of the southern Mediterranean coast of France and Monaco, on the islands of Malta, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, and the Balearic Islands,[10] as well as North Africa in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.

[14] Chamaerops humilis has a wide distribution in uncultivated land, and it is adapted to regimes of frequent burning, which it survives largely by re-sprouting from underground rhizomes and from fire-damaged stems.

[17] At anthesis, as is common in angiosperms, both male and female Chamaerops humilis plants attract their pollinators with chemical compounds, but an unusual feature is that their scents are released by the leaves, and not by the flowers.

Larval development of the weevil Derelomus chamaeropsis occurs within rachises of inflorescences of male plants during autumn and winter.

At the beginning of the next flowering period, adult weevils emerge from the dry and brittle stems of old inflorescences of the previous year of male plants only.

[22] Apart from its material benefits, this palmetto is of emotional value as a charismatic component of the "garrigues" and "macchias" of the Mediterranean coastline.

The leaves of the adult plants have been used to make brooms and for weaving mats, carrier baskets, and similar articles.

For finer work the young, unopened leaves are treated with sulphur to soften them and provide supple fibre.

[23] Urbanization and other human activities are making such rapid inroads into the natural habitat of the palm that they are raising concerns about the future of the species and its environment.

Another conservation problem is that particularly in the northernmost parts of its natural range, Chamaerops humilis is seriously threatened by an introduced South American moth Paysandisia archon.