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Cycad in the GardenTags plant encyclopedia

Encephalartos altensteinii

 

Cycad

Cycad, common name 'Sago Palm', is one of the most primitive living plants and is a popular ornamental. It forms a trunk, topped with feathery leaves. Often called "living fossils", Cycads have changed very little in the last 200 million years. Many are grown as indoor plants, but benefit from spending time outdoors in warmer, frost-free months. Encephalartos altensteinii is palm-like, and up to 7 mtrs. tall with 3 mtr. long straight or backward-curving leaves. It may be branched or unbranched. It bears 50 cm green-yellow cones (poisonous to humans)

Contributed by @Doicee

 
plant Features
  • Cycad likes full sun to partial shade

    Full sun to partial shade

  • Cycad likes occasional watering

    Occasional watering

  • Cycad is frost hardy: 23f (-5°c)

    Frost Hardy: 23F (-5°C)

  • Cycad likes moist and free draining

    Moist and free draining

 
plant information

Common name

Cycad

Latin name

Encephalartos altensteinii

type

Fern

family

Zamiaceae

ph

5.0 - 7.5 Acid - Neutral

  • Light

    Cycad likes full sun to partial shade

    Full sun to partial shade

  • Frost

    Cycad is frost hardy: 23f (-5°c)

    Frost Hardy: 23F (-5°C)

  • Soil

    Cycad likes moist and free draining

    Moist and free draining

  • Water

    Cycad likes occasional watering

    Occasional watering

Plant & bloom calendar

  •  
    Best time to plant

full grown dimensions

The size of a fully grown Cycad is 4.00meters x 7.00meters 4.00 M 7.00 M

Encephalartos altensteinii

Cycad, common name 'Sago Palm', is one of the most primitive living plants and is a popular ornamental. It forms a trunk, topped with feathery leaves. Often called "living fossils", Cycads have changed very little in the last 200 million years. Many are grown as indoor plants, but benefit from spending time outdoors in warmer, frost-free months. Encephalartos altensteinii is palm-like, and up to 7 mtrs. tall with 3 mtr. long straight or backward-curving leaves. It may be branched or unbranched. It bears 50 cm green-yellow cones (poisonous to humans)


Planting

From Early Spring TO Early Spring

Cycads will grow in most types of soil, as long as t is free-draining. For growing in containers, any general purpose mixed with John Innes No. 3 and some slow-release fertiliser would be ideal. In mild regions it is possible to grow some cycads outdoors. Temperatures below -5C will damage the leaves, so wrap the plant well, or bring it indoors if that is a risk.

 

Propagating

From Late Spring TO Early Autumn

Cycads produce off-sets that can be cut from the parent plant, using a sterile knife.Cut where it meets the parent plant, and use a fungicide powder on the parent plant where the cut was made. Soak the "pup" for 30 minutes in a fungicide, then in a rooting stimulant for a similar length of time. then plant in clean pumice or scoria. It can take 6-10 months for the new plant to become established

 
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Gardeners who are growing this plant