Needle Palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix)
Needle Palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix)
The Needle Palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix) holds the record as the most cold-hardy palms around. It can be found in several parts of the south Atlantic state and eastern Gulf of the US, southern Alabama, and even South Carolina, grown as a specimen plant for small spaces. It favors subtropical climates or warm temperate climates. The fan or needle-like palm takes a shrub-like clumping form. It also has several stems emanating from a single base. The leaves have long petioles and many needle-like spines in between. The plant is dioecious, producing flowers in dense short clusters and fruits in a brown drupe. It prefers moist, well-drained soil.
Needle Palms have an overall height between 3’-5.9’ (.9-1.8 m) and spread diameter of 3.9’-7.9’ (1.2-2.4 m). The trunk of the Needle Palm has a diameter of 9.8”-15.75” (25-40 cm) with leaf lengths between 15”-20” (.38-.51 m).
The Needle Palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix) holds the record as the most cold-hardy palms around. It can be found in several parts of the south Atlantic state and eastern Gulf of the US, southern Alabama, and even South Carolina, grown as a specimen plant for small spaces. It favors subtropical climates or warm temperate climates. The fan or needle-like palm takes a shrub-like clumping form. It also has several stems emanating from a single base. The leaves have long petioles and many needle-like spines in between. The plant is dioecious, producing flowers in dense short clusters and fruits in a brown drupe. It prefers moist, well-drained soil.
Needle Palms have an overall height between 3’-5.9’ (.9-1.8 m) and spread diameter of 3.9’-7.9’ (1.2-2.4 m). The trunk of the Needle Palm has a diameter of 9.8”-15.75” (25-40 cm) with leaf lengths between 15”-20” (.38-.51 m).
