Needle Palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix)

Hardiness: Zone 6b or slightly colder when established, making it the world's hardiest palm. Needs excellent siting for long-term survival in Zone 6.

Description: A clumping palm with medium-green leaves, growing slowly to eight to 10 feet tall and wide. Forms a stubby trunk with age. Named for the sharp needles that protect the crown, though the needles remain safely away from children and pets. One of the easiest palms to grow in the Southeast. Use as a specimen or hedge in sun or shade, though the needle palm is a little more open and attractive in half-day shade or filtered sunlight.

Origin: River floodplains from South Carolina to Florida and Mississippi, with populations extending far inland to central Georgia and northeastern Alabama.