Rhapidophyllum hystrix

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Figure 1. R. hystrix at Huntington Botanical Gardens.

Common Names:

Needle Palm
Hedgehog Palm
Blue Palmetto

Distribution and Habitat:

Open forest of South-eastern USA.

Description:

A low growing, clumping, palmate palm which has long black spines on the leaf sheaths.

Culture:

Sunny, moist, but well drained position. Famed for its cold tolerance. Very slow growing. Seed germination is also slow and erratic.

Figure 2. R. hystrix leaf detail.

Figure 3. R. hystrix spine detail.

Figure 4. R. hystrix at Naples Botanic Garden.

Contributed by:

Angelo Porcelli (Figure 4)
Fred, Zone 10A (Figure 1,2&3)

External Links:

Kew, PalmWeb, JSTOR, Trebrown

Google, GoogleImages, Flickr, PalmTalk