Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Palm or Cycad
Tender Perennial
Origin
United States, Southeastern United States
Southern Africa
Types
Rhapidophyllum hystrix
Perennial
Number of Varieties
1550
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cold Regions, Subtropical climates
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-108-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-6
10-8
Sunset Zone
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
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm61.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Yellow, Lavender
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Dark Red, Brown, Sienna
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Needle like
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Drought, Soil Compaction
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs small amount of water
Requires regular watering
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Nematodes, Scale
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate, Frost
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Rabbits, Small mammals
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
drowsiness, Scratches
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
bank hedging, Ornamental use
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Ethnobotanic
Ethnobotanic
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Frostbite
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Root
Other Uses
Application in Handicrafts, Showy Purposes
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
RHAPIDOPHYLLUM hystrix
DIETES bicolor
Common Name
Needle Palm, Porcupine plant
African iris, Fortnight lily
In Hindi
सुई ताड़
African Iris
In German
Nadel -Palme
Afrikanische Iris
In French
palmier aiguille
African Iris
In Spanish
palmera aguja
Iris africano
In Greek
βελόνα φοίνικα
Αφρικανική Iris
In Portuguese
palmeira agulha
Iris africano
In Polish
Igła palma
Afryki Iris
In Latin
acus palma
African Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Arecales
Asparagales
Family
Arecaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Rhapidophyllum
Dietes
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Corypheae
Irideae
Subfamily
Coryphoideae
Iridoideae
Number of Species
10300
1
27800
👆🏻