Rhapidophyllum hystrix Seeds (Washington County, GA). NEW! Most Cold Hardy Palm!

Description

These are  FRESH seeds from THE northernmost population of Needle Palms IN THE WORLD in Washington County, GA (actually tied with Bibb County, AL...the difference in latitude has to be measured in seconds)
.
Rhapidophyllum hystrix, also known as the Needle Palm, is arguably the most cold-hardy palm in the world.
Needle Palms will do fine in a southern zone 7 and above, and have been reported to grow even into zone 6. There's a fine old specimen in the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. that's been there since the late 1960s. Other old specimens can be found in Tennessee.
A famous Needle Palm in Knoxville, TN survived -21F in January of 1985, and is still there today!
They do best in partial shade, where the leaves take on a deeper green, more lustrous color and the palm has a more open appearance. However, they will also do fine in full sun as well, where they have a more compact shape. Needle Palms are a clustering species, and will grow about 10 feet wide by 10 feet tall over many years. They are a rather slow-growing palm, but respond very well to lots of water and regular fertilizing. They do best in areas with hot, humid summers. Needle Palms are rather drought tolerant once fully established, and can also tolerate flooding conditions with ease (they naturally occur in flood plains).
Young palms (of any species) should be protected for the first few years while they are getting established. A well-established Needle Palm should be able to handle 0F easily with little to no damage. Duration of cold is important to consider. The longer the duration of freeze, the more damage your palm will be susceptible to. If your area is forecasted to remain below freezing for several days at a time with lows below 0F, protection is recommended for young palms.