The Rhapidophyllum hystrix needle plam is considered one of largest in North Carolina.
This specimen has been at the NC Arboretum since at lease 1978. Needle palms are one of the most cold-hardy plams and grow in full sun to full shade.
The Needle Plam is native to the American Southeast, but is becoming rare due to habitat destruction and slow seed germination rate that can last from 6 months to 2 years