whats the most jawdropping and spectacular cycad I can grow in Cali ?

[trioderob]

title says it all Dudes - most dramatic looking cycad for san diego

[cycadjungle]

There are some very beautiful smaller cycads, but you are really asking about beautiful larger ones you can grow there. For a blue cycad, the purest blue Encephalartos longifolius is hard to beat. Loran had one that was about 13 feet across and I think 4 feet of trunk. For greens, I'd go with either E. woodii, E.paucidentatus, E. whitelockii, or Lepidozamia peroffskyana. Depending on if you have shade or sun.

[John Case]

My earlier post seems to have disappeared......my vote is for Cycas debaoensis.....interested to see if this one stay on the thread.

[Geoff]

Anything huge is pretty impressive, as they are also incredibly old. And anything super rare is impressive, too. And any cycads grown en masse are pretty awesome, too…. So just get some huge, rare cycads and a LOT of them and you'll be set.

[trioderob]

Anything huge is pretty impressive, as they are also incredibly old. And anything super rare is impressive, too. And any cycads grown en masse are pretty awesome, too…. So just get some huge, rare cycads and a LOT of them and you'll be set.

its just that easy

[waykoolplantz]

Depends on who you're trying to impress....yourself...a garden admirer...or the curator at the Huntington or Fairchild.

Oh...and one specimen is "wow"....three is "holy shit"

[rprimbs]

I would strongly recommend E. woodii. Get a big one!

[John Case]

I would strongly recommend E. woodii. Get a big one!

Richard,

Good call! Easy to find too!

[trioderob]

I would strongly recommend E. woodii. Get a big one!

sounds great - where can I get a smokin deal on one ?

[cycadjungle]

There's a few of them around SD for sale with trunk for about $40-$60K.

[Danilopez89]

I would strongly recommend E. woodii. Get a big one!

sounds great - where can I get a smokin deal on one ?

There's a few of them around SD for sale with trunk for about $40-$60K.

Seems legit...

[trioderob]

you guys should treat yourself to one - you deserve it

[ghar41]

If I had my choice of any large cycad with serious trunk, I would take Encephartos frederici guillemi

[Pando]

title says it all Dudes - most dramatic looking cycad for san diego

you guys should treat yourself to one - you deserve it

Dude, if you get yourself a woodii, you'll be the top dog on the block

(no pun)

Edited July 31, 2015 by Pando

[Palms1984]

title says it all Dudes - most dramatic looking cycad for san diego

Just a suggestion: You can check out the San Diego Zoo's cycad collection. They have the second largest collection of cycads in North America.

[Geoff]

What's the first? Because the Huntington acquired all of Loran's cycads and has already planted them everywhere, and thankfully, most in very prominent locations about the entrance and along the major pathways…. pretty staggeringly huge collection with thousands of new plants, many hundreds of them with significant caudeces (trunks).

Few group shots (only a fraction of what is planted that I saw)

Few nice Encephalartos

E dyerianus collection

E inopinus

E latifrons (one of over a dozen trunking specimens)

E longifoliius (this was my favorite plant of his)

E munchii (one of many)

E middleburngensis

[BS Man about Palms]

I have to say I picked up a hor-wood cross several years back and I chose the one that "least" looked like a horridus (As much as you can discern from a seedling). It has grown well and it looks kinda like a woodii that "ain't right"... haha

So I think it shall become my "faux-woodii".

[BS Man about Palms]

I remember the tour of Lorans home several years back. Stunning! Thank Geoff for the picture update of the collections current status.

[cycadjungle]

The zoo better have 1000s of rare cycads then. Montgomery probably has about 5000, Fairchild has about 2500, even Gizella Kopsick arboretum even has about 800 rare cycads.

[rprimbs]

What's the first? Because the Huntington acquired all of Loran's cycads and has already planted them everywhere, and thankfully, most in very prominent locations about the entrance and along the major pathways…. pretty staggeringly huge collection with thousands of new plants, many hundreds of them with significant caudeces (trunks).

Wow! That was the most impressive collection I have ever seen. I was really impressed by his huge latifrons, inopinus, and woodii. And I was kind of shocked when I heard that the new edition of his book was coming out, but he had passed away.

[LJG]

The zoo better have 1000s of rare cycads then. Montgomery probably has about 5000, Fairchild has about 2500, even Gizella Kopsick arboretum even has about 800 rare cycads.

It was incorrect. The zoo has the second largest collection in CA.

[John Case]

What's the first? Because the Huntington acquired all of Loran's cycads and has already planted them everywhere, and thankfully, most in very prominent locations about the entrance and along the major pathways…. pretty staggeringly huge collection with thousands of new plants, many hundreds of them with significant caudeces (trunks).

Wow! That was the most impressive collection I have ever seen. I was really impressed by his huge latifrons, inopinus, and woodii. And I was kind of shocked when I heard that the new edition of his book was coming out, but he had passed away.

Geoff, what remains at the Whitelock estate? There was a lot of talk about it at the recent PSSC meeting at the Darian garden....rumor and hearsay, I imagine.....

Thanks,

JC

[Geoff]

Don't know… haven't really wanted to go back there… but seems as if everything has been moved… even his nice fern collection ended up at the Huntington

Here's a shot of his 'best' Platycerium superbum reattached to a tree at the Huntington.

[trioderob]

I have to say I picked up a hor-wood cross several years back and I chose the one that "least" looked like a horridus (As much as you can discern from a seedling). It has grown well and it looks kinda like a woodii that "ain't right"... haha

So I think it shall become my "faux-woodii".

those photos at the Huntington give me a "woodii"

[OB Burt]

I am so pleased to hear that his incredible collection ended up at the Huntington. That place was magnificent, is there such a word as magnicenter?

[rprimbs]

My earlier post seems to have disappeared......my vote is for Cycas debaoensis.....interested to see if this one stay on the thread.

Actually an impressive cycad is Cycas revoluta x Cycas debaoensis. George Sparkman sells them. They get big fast!

[Hilo Jason]

Maybe not the most spectacular, but this encephalartos whitelockii I just saw at a guesthouse in Entebbe, Uganda was pretty impressive.

[trioderob]

Jason-

while you are in Uganda please take some photos of the "mountains of the moon" forest.

pretty please with sugar on top.

Edited August 18, 2015 by trioderob

[Hilo Jason]

Hey Rob,

Are you referring to this area in the Rwenzori Mountains: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rwenzori_Mountains#/media/File:Ruwenpflanzen.jpg

I live near the Rwenzori Mountains and have a nice view of them from my apartment balcony. I've been interested in hiking them, but don't have someone to join me which is why I haven't done it yet. I'm not real interested in doing it with just myself and the Ugandan guide.

[trioderob]

do you live in southern cal or Uganda ?

heck I will go with you hiking - no joke - thats a dream hike for me

you are pulling my leg - right ?

Edited August 20, 2015 by trioderob

[Hilo Jason]

I've lived in western Uganda (Fort Portal) for the past year. My home is in Fallbrook, ca, but for the time being, I'm here.