Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Palm or Cycad
Shrub
Origin
United States, Southeastern United States
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, Polynesia
Types
Rhapidophyllum hystrix
Gold Dust Croton, Banana Croton
Number of Varieties
151200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cold Regions, Subtropical climates
Along Railroads, Pastures, Roadsides, Sandy areas, Waste areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-109-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-6
12-1
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, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Yellow, Lavender
White, Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Dark Red, Brown, Sienna
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
White, Yellow, Purple, Orange, Light Green, Chartreuse, Lime Green, Dark Green, Light Yellow, Lemon yellow, Yellow green, Gold
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Chartreuse, Lime Green, Dark Green, Light Yellow, Lemon yellow, Yellow green, Gold, Pink, Rose, Burgundy, Crimson, Dark Red, Copper, Bronze, Orange Red, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
White, Yellow, Purple, Orange, Light Green, Chartreuse, Pink, Rose, Burgundy, Crimson, Dark Red, Copper, Bronze, Orange Red, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
White, Yellow, Purple, Orange, Light Green, Gold, Pink, Rose, Burgundy, Crimson, Dark Red, Copper, Bronze, Orange Red, Ivory
Shape
Leaf Shape
Needle like
Long Elliptic
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
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Drought, Soil Compaction
Cold climate
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs small amount of water
Requires consistently moist soil, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Less Watering
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
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
Prune in spring, Remove branches that rub together
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate, Frost
Drought
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
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Rabbits, Small mammals
Butterflies, Insects
Allergy
drowsiness, Scratches
Dizziness, Eczema, Itchiness, Skin irritation, Skin rash, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
bank hedging, Ornamental use
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Improve hair condition, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Ethnobotanic
Air purification, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Frostbite
Bronchitis, Gallbladder Diseases, Gout, Joint pain, Malaria, Nerve pain, Upset stomach
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Seeds, Whole plant
Other Uses
Application in Handicrafts, Showy Purposes
Decoration Purposes, Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
RHAPIDOPHYLLUM hystrix
CODIAEUM variegatum
Common Name
Needle Palm, Porcupine plant
Rushfoil, Croton
In Hindi
सुई ताड़
क्रोटोन प्लांट
In German
Nadel -Palme
Kroton
In French
palmier aiguille
Croton
In Spanish
palmera aguja
Croton Planta
In Greek
βελόνα φοίνικα
Κρότωνα φυτών
In Portuguese
palmeira agulha
cróton
In Polish
Igła palma
Kroto roślin
In Latin
acus palma
Planta Croton
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Arecales
Malpighiales
Family
Arecaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Genus
Rhapidophyllum
Croton
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Corypheae
Crotoneae
Subfamily
Coryphoideae
Crotonoideae
Number of Species
1065
1
27800
👆🏻