Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Palm or Cycad
Fruit
Origin
United States, Southeastern United States
Asia
Types
Rhapidophyllum hystrix
Avalon Lemon, Bears Lemon, Buddha's Hand, Bush Lemon, Citron
Number of Varieties
1550
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cold Regions, Subtropical climates
Mixed deciduous forest, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-109-12
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, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm150.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Yellow, Lavender
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Dark Red, Brown, Sienna
Yellow, Lemon yellow
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Needle like
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Drought, Soil Compaction
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs small amount of water
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, occasional watering once established
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Generally pruned to waist height, pruning needed for strong structure, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Doesn't require fertilization when grown in rich soil
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Grasshoppers, Leafminers, Red blotch, Rust, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate, Frost
Drought, Drought and Salt
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Rabbits, Small mammals
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
drowsiness, Scratches
Diarrhea, Hyperacidity, Sore Throat, Whooping Cough
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
bank hedging, Ornamental use
Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
Glowing Skin, Maintains teeth healthy, Making cosmetics, Nourishes scalp, Perfumes, Skin inflammation
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Ethnobotanic
Air purification, Fixes Nitrogen, Insect Repellent, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Frostbite
Acne, Antibacterial, Antirheumatic, Appetizer, Bone strength, Digestion problems, Hangover, Healthy teeth, Nutrients, Obesity, Oral health, Skin irritation
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Bark, Fruits, Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Application in Handicrafts, Showy Purposes
Air freshner, Biomass for fuel, Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves are used as mosquito repellent, Making Perfumes, Preferably used as black tea, Used as a nutritious food item
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
RHAPIDOPHYLLUM hystrix
CITRUS limon
Common Name
Needle Palm, Porcupine plant
Lemon
In Hindi
सुई ताड़
नींबू
In German
Nadel -Palme
Citrone or Limone or Zitrone
In French
palmier aiguille
Citron or Citronnier
In Spanish
palmera aguja
Limón or Limonero
In Greek
βελόνα φοίνικα
Λεμόνι [Lemóni]
In Portuguese
palmeira agulha
Limão
In Polish
Igła palma
Cytrynowy
In Latin
acus palma
Limon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Arecales
Sapindales
Family
Arecaceae
Rutaceae
Genus
Rhapidophyllum
Citrus
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Rosids
Tribe
Corypheae
-
Subfamily
Coryphoideae
-
Number of Species
1050
1
27800
👆🏻