Needle palm
Rhapidophyllum hystrix

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A small clumping palm. It grows to 1 m tall. The trunk is 8-10 cm across. It often creeps along the ground. It can roots producing suckers. The shoots have about 15 leaves. They spread out like fingers on a hand. The sheath around the leaf has many soft fibres. The leaf stalks are smooth on the edges. The blade is split into several leaflets. They are silvery white underneath. The flower stalks are among the leaves. The flowers are are covered with 4-6 bracts. Often trees are separately male or female. The fruit have one seed. They are round and brownish. They are covered with hairs but these are easily rubbed off. The fruit are 1 cm across.

There is only one Rhapidophyllum species.

Where it is found

It grows in wet places at low elevations in the southern United States. It can tolerate cold down to - 20°C.

Countries/locations it is found in

North America, USA

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Chamaerops hystrix Pursh; Rhapis caroliniana hort. ex Kunth; Sabal hystrix (Pursh)Nutt.;