Life Span
Perennial
  
Perennial
  
Type
Flowering Plants, Herbs
  
Palm or Cycad
  
Origin
Hybrid origin
  
United States, Southeastern United States
  
Types
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
moist forests, Mountains
  
Cold Regions, Subtropical climates
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9
  
6-10
  
AHS Heat Zone
9-2
  
12-6
  
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
  
H1, H2, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
Habit
Clump-Forming
  
Clump-Forming
  
Plant Size
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
Purple, Pink, Lavender
  
White, Light Yellow, Lavender
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Brown
  
Dark Red, Brown, Sienna
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
  
Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
  
Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
  
Dark Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
  
Needle like
  
Thorns
No
  
Yes
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun
  
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
  
Growth Rate
Fast
  
Very Slow
  
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Acidic, Neutral
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Average
  
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Summer
  
Early Summer, Summer
  
Repeat Bloomer
Yes
  
No
  
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
  
Wet Site, Drought, Soil Compaction
  
Where to Plant?
Ground
  
Ground
  
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
  
Seedlings
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Needs very little water
  
Needs small amount of water
  
In Summer
Lots of watering
  
Lots of watering
  
In Spring
Moderate
  
Moderate
  
In Winter
Average Water
  
Average Water
  
Soil
  
  
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Acidic, Neutral
  
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
  
Average
  
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
  
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
  
Pruning
cut main trunk every 5 years, Prune after flowering, Prune central stem, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
  
Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
  
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 5-10-5 amounts, Compost
  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
  
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Red blotch, Trunk Rot
  
Red blotch
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought
  
Cold climate, Frost
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Insignificant
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
No
  
Yes
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
No
  
Yes
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
No
  
Yes
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Medium
  
Coarse
  
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
  
Glossy
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
No
  
No
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
No
  
Attracts
Butterflies, Leaf Hoppers
  
Not Available, Rabbits, Small mammals
  
Allergy
Itchiness, Not Available, Sore Throat
  
drowsiness, Scratches
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
  
bank hedging, Ornamental use
  
Beauty Benefits
Anti-ageing, Good Cleanser, Remove blemishes, Removes pimples
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
Yes
  
No
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, soil stabilisation
  
Air purification, Ethnobotanic
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Cough, Haemorrhages, Laxative, Obesity, Tonic
  
Aging, Frostbite
  
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
  
Leaves
  
Other Uses
Added to salads, Can be boiled and seasoned, pickled, Culinary use
  
Application in Handicrafts, Showy Purposes
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
No
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
  
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
  
Botanical Name
Averrhoa bilimbi
  
RHAPIDOPHYLLUM hystrix
  
Common Name
Bilimbi, Mimbro
  
Needle Palm, Porcupine plant
  
In Hindi
Bilimbi
  
सुई ताड़
  
In German
bilimbi
  
Nadel -Palme
  
In French
bilimbi
  
palmier aiguille
  
In Spanish
bilimbi
  
palmera aguja
  
In Greek
bilimbi
  
βελόνα φοίνικα
  
In Portuguese
bilimbi
  
palmeira agulha
  
In Polish
bilimbi
  
Igła palma
  
In Latin
Rondo Beardtongue
  
acus palma
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
  
Magnoliophyta
  
Class
Magnoliopsida
  
Magnoliopsida
  
Order
Oxalidales
  
Arecales
  
Family
Oxalidaceae
  
Arecaceae
  
Genus
Averrhoa
  
Rhapidophyllum
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
  
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
  
Tribe
Not Available
  
Corypheae
  
Subfamily
Not Available
  
Coryphoideae
  
Number of Species
Not Available
  
Season and Care of Bilimbi and Needle Palm
Season and care of Bilimbi and Needle Palm is important to know. While considering everything about Bilimbi and Needle Palm Care, growing season is an essential factor. Bilimbi season is Spring and Summer and Needle Palm season is Spring and Summer. The type of soil for Bilimbi is Clay, Loam, Sand and for Needle Palm is Clay, Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Bilimbi is Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline and for Needle Palm is Acidic, Neutral.
Bilimbi and Needle Palm Physical Information
Bilimbi and Needle Palm physical information is very important for comparison. Bilimbi height is 38.10 cm and width 25.40 cm whereas Needle Palm height is 180.00 cm and width 180.00 cm. The color specification of Bilimbi and Needle Palm are as follows:
Bilimbi flower color: Purple, Pink and Lavender
Bilimbi leaf color: Green
Needle Palm flower color: White, Light Yellow and Lavender
- Needle Palm leaf color: Green and Dark Green
Care of Bilimbi and Needle Palm
Care of Bilimbi and Needle Palm include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Bilimbi pruning is done cut main trunk every 5 years, Prune after flowering, Prune central stem, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches and Remove dead leaves and Needle Palm pruning is done Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches and Remove dead leaves. In summer Bilimbi needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Needle Palm needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.