The Needle Palm Rhapidophyllum hystrix is the sole member of the genus Rhapidophyllum in the palm family Arecaceae. It is native to the southeastern United States, from central Florida to Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama.

The Needle Palm assumes a shrublike clumping form with several stems growing from a single base, the stems growing very slowly and tightly together, eventually forming a dense base 1-1.2 m tall. The whole plant can reach 2-3 m tall to the top of the erect central leaves. It is a fan palm (Arecaceae tribe Corypheae), with the leaves with a long petiole terminating in a rounded fan of 8-16 leaflets; each leaf is up to 2 m long, with the leaflets up to 60-80 cm long. The flowers are borne in dense, short clusters at the top of the stems; it is usually dioecious with male and female flowers on separate plants. The fruit is a brown drupe about 2 cm long. The Needle Palm gets its name from the numerous sharp needle-like spines produced on its stem between the leaves; these are 10-25 cm long and protect the stem growing point from browsing animals.

Cultivation and uses

The Needle Palm is very popular among palm enthusiasts in cold climates for its extraordinary ability to tolerate cold. Some reports have claimed survival of temperatures as low as -29ºC, although more realistic estimates are approximately -15° to -21ºC. A large, well-established specimen has been growing without protection at the United States National Arboretum in Washington, D. C. since the 1960s. However, unlike the related Trachycarpus species, the Needle Palm does not tolerate cool, damp summer weather.

The Needle Palm is considered by many environmentalists to be commercially exploited and therefore threatened. When purchasing this palm, it is wise to purchase it only from a reputable dealer, as some unscrupulous dealers harvest them directly from the wild.

External links

• Photos of wild and cultivated specimens
• Floridata: Needle Palm