Abstract Palm heart from Euterpe edulis (palmiteiro) is one of the most important non-timber forest products (NTFP) exploited from the Mata Atlântica region of southeastern Brazil. In this paper, we examine the structure of natural forests and its impact on regeneration, growth and yield of palmiteiro in the Mata Atlântica region. Flowering and seed production of mature palmiteiros are variable but approximately one-half of all ‘seed-bearing’ palmiteiros flower and produce seed in any given year. Our results suggest that as the density or abundance of other woody plants increases, regeneration, survival and growth of palmiteiro is usually reduced. High densities of palmiteiro itself appear to suppress growth, while harvesting of mature palmiteiro leads to a marked increase in the growth of smaller size classes of palms. A reduction in the density or abundance of trees, lianas and tree-ferns would appear to benefit palmiteiro, but the differences in forest structure between the study sites suggests that successful management strategies may differ depending upon site conditions. A native bamboo (Guadua tagoara) limits the regeneration of many woody plants, but it appears to have only a limited effect on the survival, regeneration and growth of palmiteiro.