Cycas debaoensis growth rate

[AndyR]

Thinking of getting some Cycas debaoensis seeds and wondering of any experiences of growing from seed. Is it slow growing or not, is it as susceptible to the dreaded moth as other Cycads are these days in Australia?

Thanks very much!

[LJG]

Andy, this plant is super fast if planted in the ground and well watered. I recently had to move mine because within 3 short years it went from a seedling to a monster with 5 foot leaves. As far as Caudex size, I find it irrelevant on these type of cycads since they want to live their life underground anyway. Another thing about them though is they have massive roots systems. I saw this first hand when I dig mine.

Don't know anything on the moth.

[tank]

Len,

How much did your plant get set back after you moved it? Mine was producing 2 leaves a year, with the largest leaf currently around 5ft. I moved it in March and was wondering if I should expect a big set back on growth. No new leaves since the move. I dug a large root ball for what I thought was a small plant and I found that it had a much more extensive root system than I expected. It had only been in the ground for 2 years.

[tank]

Also, I gave a friend of mine one several years ago and he has had to move it 2 times as it has outgrown where it was planted. I think the leaves are about 7 or 8' long now, maybe longer. Puts up one leaf at a time.

How big do the leaves eventually top out at?

[LJG]

Jason, you sure it was a Debaoensis? These push out a bunch of leaves. There are some others that look somewhat similar that can put out a leaf or two only.

[tank]

Len,

I don't know if it is deboaensis. It was bought as C. deboensis from Ellis Brown, a well regarded grower in south Florida.

[LJG]

I finally had the pleasure to meet Ellis during the biennial. He knows his stuff. Maybe your plant was still young.

[tank]

Actually, I bought one from Ellis that I gave to my friend that is BIG now and one from George Sparkman. Both seem to throw up one leaf at a time. The plant that I received from George is still relatively small. The one I received from Ellis has probably been moved more than twice. Probably puts on two new leaves and then my buddy realizes its too big and then moves it. Maybe all of the moving has really set it back. He's been trying to keep it near his house to give it some protection from the cold. I'll have to take a pic of the larger one next time I'm over at my friends house.

[LJG]

That could be the case. After I moved mine, it took a while for it to recover. They have such massive roots that they really hate being moved.

[rprimbs]

Are they strictly shade plants? We have one in a pot that is starting to take off. It is in the shade. And we have a hybrid C. revoluta x C. debaoensis in the ground, in full sun, that is starting to get almost too big. It is next to the sidewalk that goes to our front door. Fortunately it is not "prickly" like a revoluta.

[AndyR]

Appreciate the replies folks.

The blue butterfly that has been chomping cycads requires some diligent treatment at times. My Thouarsii and Revoluta's can get horribly disfigured.

I've heard some nurserymen say they wont touch anything in the Cycas genus and the PACSOA link below suggests this also. Any experience of this with other cycas species (especially debaoensis) out there?

http://www.pacsoa.org.au/cycads/Articles/blue_butterfly.html%C2'>

[LJG]

Andy, have you tried Spinosad? It is great for killing larvae. I use it on many of my Tropicals that get chomped by moth or butterfly larvae. Spray at night and the next morning the larvae will all be dead. It stays on leaves for about two weeks. The other good thing is it is a natural 'pesticide'.

[AndyR]

Thanks for that Len, have put out an email to local reps on that...

[tank]

That could be the case. After I moved mine, it took a while for it to recover. They have such massive roots that they really hate being moved.

Checked on it today and its starting to put out a new leaf. Moved it in March.

[Bags]

I bought a relatively small plant on Ebay and it has gotten huge fast. Two years in a row it has aborted the first flush of the year, but followed immediately with another flush. Mine is in a good amount of sun and the leaves yellow after a while. Probably would look better in filtered sun.

[AndyR]

Thanks Bags that's helpful to know....