I chose this one because all the needle palms were growing (in pots) in the same conditions (high overhead canopy of trees) and this one seemed the most robust and open in habit. Native to the southeast United States, it is reputed to be the hardiest palm on earth. Specimens thrive as far north as Cape Cod and the Alaska Panhandle. It's known to be slow growing, taking years to form a trunk - yet gardeners here on the Gulf Coast will tell you otherwise. It now occupies a position of honor where I can see it from my back door.
I've wanted a needle palm since I learned about them in 1992 from Lawrence Crockett, my horticulture professor at The City College of New York. He brought us copies of an article from the New York Times introducing us to this remarkable plant. (The palm's botanical name was not in italics in the article and Dr. Crockett expressed mock horror at the terrible gaffe made by this venerable publication. Since then, I've tried to be diligent about this rule.) He was a font of knowledge and exuberance and the world is a poorer place without him.
This brings my total species of palms to six.
X Butiagrus nabonnandii - Mule Palm (an intergeneric hybrid and thus sterile, hence "mule")
Rhapis excelsa - Lady Palm
Sabal palmetto - Cabbage Palm
Sabal minor - Palmetto
Chamaerops humilis - European Fan Palm
Rhapidophyllum hystrix - Needle Palm
Three on this list are native to this area: the two sabals and the needle. Palms aren't popular here in Mobile the way they are in Southern California or Florida. I get the sense that they're considered trashy by some - you see them in front of seedy hotels and used car dealerships. Oddly, they also show up in the posh neighborhoods. I'm the outlier...
