Life Span
Perennial
  
Perennial
  
Type
Palm or Cycad
  
Vegetable
  
Origin
United States, Southeastern United States
  
Hybrid origin, Mexico, Central America, South America
  
Types
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Habitat
Cold Regions, Subtropical climates
  
Coastal Regions
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-10
  
11-15
  
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
  
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 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
Clump-Forming
  
Upright/Erect
  
Plant Size
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
White, Light Yellow, Lavender
  
Yellow
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Dark Red, Brown, Sienna
  
Red
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Needle like
  
Ovate
  
Thorns
Yes
  
No
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Spring, Summer, Fall
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
  
Full Sun
  
Growth Rate
Very Slow
  
Fast
  
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Loam, Sand
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
  
Neutral
  
Soil Drainage
Average
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
  
Indeterminate
  
Repeat Bloomer
No
  
Yes
  
Tolerances
Wet Site, Drought, Soil Compaction
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Ground
  
Container, Ground
  
How to Plant?
Seedlings
  
Grafting, Seedlings
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Needs small amount of water
  
Needs more water during establishment
  
In Summer
Lots of watering
  
Lots of watering
  
In Spring
Moderate
  
Moderate
  
In Winter
Average Water
  
Average Water
  
Soil
  
  
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
  
Neutral
  
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Loam, Sand
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
  
Well drained
  
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
  
Full Sun
  
Pruning
Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
  
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness
  
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
  
14-14-14 Fertilizer, Compost
  
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
  
Anthracnose, Aphids, Red blotch, Rust
  
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate, Frost
  
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction
  
Flowers
Insignificant
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
Yes
  
Yes
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
Yes
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
Yes
  
Yes
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
Yes
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
Yes
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
Yes
  
Showy Foliage
Yes
  
No
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Coarse
  
Medium
  
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
  
Matte
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
No
  
No
  
Self-Sowing
No
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Not Available, Rabbits, Small mammals
  
Aphids, Not Available, Squirrels
  
Allergy
drowsiness, Scratches
  
Stomach pain, Vomiting
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
bank hedging, Ornamental use
  
Used in parkland
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
Anti-ageing, Blackheads, Reduce Bruises
  
Edible Uses
No
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Ethnobotanic
  
Shadow Tree, Soil protection
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Frostbite
  
Dehydration, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Nutrients, Weight loss
  
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
  
Fruits
  
Other Uses
Application in Handicrafts, Showy Purposes
  
Application in Handicrafts, Food for animals, Showy Purposes
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
No
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
  
Edible, Herb, Vegetable
  
Botanical Name
RHAPIDOPHYLLUM hystrix
  
Manilkara zapota
  
Common Name
Needle Palm, Porcupine plant
  
sapodilla , chikoo, Sapota
  
In Hindi
सुई ताड़
  
चीकू
  
In German
Nadel -Palme
  
Breiapfelbaum
  
In French
palmier aiguille
  
Sapotillier
  
In Spanish
palmera aguja
  
chicle
  
In Greek
βελόνα φοίνικα
  
sapodilla
  
In Portuguese
palmeira agulha
  
sapodilla
  
In Polish
Igła palma
  
Pigwica właściwa, sapodilla
  
In Latin
acus palma
  
sapodilla
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
  
Magnoliophyta
  
Class
Magnoliopsida
  
Magnoliopsida
  
Order
Arecales
  
Ericales
  
Family
Arecaceae
  
Sapotaceae
  
Genus
Rhapidophyllum
  
Abelia
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
  
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
  
Tribe
Corypheae
  
Sapoteae
  
Subfamily
Coryphoideae
  
Sapotoideae
  
Number of Species
Not Available