Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Palm or Cycad
Origin
Mexico, Central America, South America
United States, Southeastern United States
Types
Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants
Rhapidophyllum hystrix
Number of Varieties
115
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
shrublands, tropical grasslands
Cold Regions, Subtropical climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99996-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-6
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.70 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
50.80 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
White, Light Yellow, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Light Green, Tan
Dark Red, Brown, Sienna
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lanceolate
Needle like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Very 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
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Drought, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
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 Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
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
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Pest Free
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate, Frost
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flies
Rabbits, Small mammals
Allergy
allergic reaction, Skin irritation
drowsiness, Scratches
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
bank hedging, Ornamental use
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Ethnobotanic
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Detoxification, Insect Bites, Stomach pain, Treat Parasitic Intestinal Worms
Aging, Frostbite
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
Leaves
Other Uses
Pesticide, The essential oil is used as insect repellent
Application in Handicrafts, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Herb / Vegetable
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
CHENOPODIUM ambrosioides
RHAPIDOPHYLLUM hystrix
Common Name
Mexican Tea
Needle Palm, Porcupine plant
In Hindi
Dysphania ambrosioides
सुई ताड़
In German
Mexikanischer Drüsengänsefuß
Nadel -Palme
In French
Épazote
palmier aiguille
In Spanish
Dysphania ambrosioides
palmera aguja
In Greek
Μεξικού τσάι
βελόνα φοίνικα
In Portuguese
Dysphania ambrosioides
palmeira agulha
In Polish
Komosa piżmowa
Igła palma
In Latin
Dysphania ambrosioides
acus palma
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Arecales
Family
Chenopodiaceae
Arecaceae
Genus
Dysphania
Rhapidophyllum
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Dysphanieae
Corypheae
Subfamily
Chenopodioideae
Coryphoideae
Number of Species
3010
1
27800
👆🏻