Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Palm or Cycad
Origin
Argentina, Chile
United States, Southeastern United States
Types
-
Rhapidophyllum hystrix
Number of Varieties
215
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hardwood forests, pine woods
Cold Regions, Subtropical climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-96-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-6
Sunset Zone
21,22
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
Spreading
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
White, Light Yellow, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Purple, Rose, Violet, Plum, Black
Dark Red, Brown, Sienna
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Bronze
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Needle like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Wet Site, Drought, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Semi-hardwood cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Bacterial fruit blotch, Downy mildew, Gall Insects, Mites, Powdery mildew
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Shade areas
Cold climate, Frost
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Insects
Rabbits, Small mammals
Allergy
Hives, inflammation in lips, Sore Throat, Swelling in the face
drowsiness, Scratches
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
bank hedging, Ornamental use
Beauty Benefits
Glowing Skin, Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Food for birds
Air purification, Ethnobotanic
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Analgesic, Anodyne, Antirheumatic, Antispasmodic, Astringent, Carminative
Aging, Frostbite
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Stem
Leaves
Other Uses
For making oil, For making oil for cosmetics, Medicinal oil, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Application in Handicrafts, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edging, Foundation, Hedges, Mixed Border
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
Gaultheria procumbens
RHAPIDOPHYLLUM hystrix
Common Name
Eastern teaberry, checkerberry, American wintergreen
Needle Palm, Porcupine plant
In Hindi
boxberry
सुई ताड़
In German
boxberry
Nadel -Palme
In French
boxberry
palmier aiguille
In Spanish
boxberry
palmera aguja
In Greek
boxberry
βελόνα φοίνικα
In Portuguese
boxberry
palmeira agulha
In Polish
boxberry
Igła palma
In Latin
Burning
acus palma
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Ericales
Arecales
Family
Ericaceae
Arecaceae
Genus
Gaultheria
Rhapidophyllum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Gaultherieae
Corypheae
Subfamily
Vaccinioideae
Coryphoideae
Number of Species
14110
1
27800
👆🏻