Rhapidophyllum hystrix (Pursh) H. Wendland & Drude. Common name: Needle Palm, Blue Palmetto. Habitat: Moist to wet soils of small blackwater stream swamps, especially where underlain with coquina limestone ("marl"), hydric hammocks and rich, wetland-upland transitions. Distribution: Se. SC (Beaufort and Jasper counties) south to c. peninsular FL, and west to s. MS. Becoming somewhat popular as a hardy palm that can be grown in the Southeast, well north of its natural range. As a result, records of it naturalizing northwards should be anticipated; reported for the mountains of TN (J. Shaw., 2020, iNaturalist and pers.comm.)
ID notes: The base of the petioles and inflorescences of this species are conspicuously sheathed (ground-level).
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Synonymy ⓘ: = FNA22, GW1, K4, S, S13, WH3, Zona (1997); = n/a — RAB; Chamaerops hystrix (Fraser ex Thouin) Pursh. Basionym: Chamaerops hystrix (Fraser ex Thouin) Pursh 1814
Links to other floras: = Rhapidophyllum hystrix - FNA22
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Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACW
Heliophily ⓘ: 4
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© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Scott Ward source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
© Bruce Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
© Mary Keim, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA) source CC-BY-NC-SA, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Janet Wright, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Janet Wright source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Eric M Powell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Eric M Powell source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Scott Ward source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
© Janet Wright, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Janet Wright source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Janet Wright, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Janet Wright source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Eric M Powell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Eric M Powell source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Scott Ward source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: Rhapidophyllum hystrix, unripe fruit, Savage Creek, Twiggs County, Georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: Rhapidophyllum hystrix, Piedmont Physiographic Province, Muscogee County, Georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source
© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
© Jay Horn source | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Scott Ward source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
© Alvin Diamond, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Alvin Diamond source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: Rhapidophyllum hystrix, and Sabal minor, Oconee River Floodplain, Riverbend Wildlife Management Area, Laurens County, Georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
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native range: SC, GA, FL, AL & MS
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