Needle Palm
Rhapidophyllum hystrix
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Scientific name: Rhapidophyluim hystrix
Pronunciation: rah-pid-o-fill-lum hiss-triks
Common name(s): Needle Palm
Family: Arecaceae
Origin: Southeastern United States
Needle Palm is a small
shrubby fan palm that
grows to about six feet in
height. Multiple stems
create an ever widening
rounded clump of about
six feet. The needle palm
doesn't form a trunk but
instead has multiple stems.
These stems are composed of old leaf bases and fiber. The fan-shaped
leaves
are glossy deep green on top with a dull silvery white underside.
Tiny yellow
to purplish-brown flowers appear irregularly in spring and early
summer. The
spines or "needles" form at the base and are dark brown
or black, very slender
and sharp and grow from four to ten inches long. This palm is native
to the southeastern United States. Populations can be
found in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Florida.
Needle palm usually grows on shady wooded slopes
and in moist bottomlands along streams. It prefers fairly moist,
well
drained soils with lots of organic matter but is very adaptable
to other
conditions. It is very cold hardy, can be adapted to full sun,
and has a high
drought tolerance. Established plants are perfect for a garden
that only
relies on rain. Needle palm is an excellent specimen plant for
small spaces
near patios or entry ways. In the garden, the needle palm provides
a rich
green backdrop for flowering plants. Mass plantings of needle palm
can
also serve as security hedges. Needle palm can also be used near
swimming pools because of its ability to endure continual splashes
of chlorinated water. It should not be planted close to
walkways where passersby may be pricked by its “needles.” Plantings
of needle palm are able to trap fallen leaves and
other debris and this “auto-mulching” further reduces maintenance.
selected from Palm Prints, Sarasota County Extension
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