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Cycad cones and flushes


Urban Rainforest

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 12/26/2019 at 10:03 PM, Marius said:

E deyerianus. 5 New leaves and one new leaf per sucker. 

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Looks like yours is going to be a vigorous pupper.  I have one that I got as a 2 leaf seedling in early 2011, which pushed a pup while still it was still band size.  It is now hard to discern which is the main caudex as there are several growth points all of equal size.  It is a bit of a tangled mess.  Meanwhile I have another that I got as an offset (female I believe), which has remained solitary now for 7 years.  The tangle is pictured.  It is interesting to see how differently individual plants will grow.

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33.0782 North -117.305 West  at 72 feet elevation

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Hi Tracy. Yes they can be very different. My one latifrons suckered as a two leaf seedling and has for the last 10 years produced one leaf every two years and its sucker one leaf per year. My new two leaf seedling that I got last summer made two leaves this summer. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Fellow Palmtalk friend Josh Allen came over this morning with a male trispinosis cone and we did the first round of pollination of an Encephalartos horridus female cone.  It should make an interesting hybrid.  Mother plant and cone in the photos.

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33.0782 North -117.305 West  at 72 feet elevation

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  • 1 month later...

I have a challenging time with recognizing male versus female cones in the Ceratozamia genus.  A Ceratozamia latifolia that has been coning for a long time now had a cone that was falling off so I thought I should disect it to make the id easy.  Seeing seeds inside it is clearly female.  I've never tried pollinating it although I do have another C latifolia, I don't recall what it's cones look like.  Unfortunately that one is in my rental so I don't see it very often and timing it to get pollen if it is a male is a little challenging.  At least I finally figured out that this one is female.  It is also pushing a new cone, as it seems to push cones at least as frequently as it flushes.

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33.0782 North -117.305 West  at 72 feet elevation

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 5/9/2009 at 6:04 PM, Urban Rainforest said:

Cycas Cairnsiana new flush.

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What is this looking like nowadays?

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  • 3 weeks later...

Here's my first full-scale flush of the giant Encephalartos Hildebrandtii that I got from ChuckG last summer.  19 new bronze fronds growing fast in this March heatwave!  The offset put out 5 nice new fronds last fall, but I've been waiting for the monster to go.  They are about 5' tall today and gaining 6-10" per day. 

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58 minutes ago, Merlyn2220 said:

They are about 5' tall today and gaining 6-10" per day. 

That is a lot of energy to push all those out at that speed.  Nice color on it!

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Glad to her of your heatwave to push along growth.

Here in Southern California, we are experiencing several weeks of cool wet weather.  Not flushing yet in my garden.

Sad.....

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1 hour ago, Palm Tree Jim said:

Glad to her of your heatwave to push along growth.

Here in Southern California, we are experiencing several weeks of cool wet weather.  Not flushing yet in my garden.

Sad.....

I think we are perched on the edge though Jim.  A little bit more warm weather and they will start popping.  My Cycas thouarsii x cupida and some of the pure thouarsii both have pups which are pushing small flushes right now albeit slowly for this time of year.  Overwintering bananas started ripening this last weekend and a bunch of Dypsis are opening new leaves right now, so with the longer days all we need is a little warmer daytime temps.  I like to be optimistic :D !

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33.0782 North -117.305 West  at 72 feet elevation

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9 hours ago, Palm Tree Jim said:

Here in Southern California, we are experiencing several weeks of cool wet weather.  Not flushing yet in my garden.

Sad.....

While not flushes, the Ceratozamia's are pushing out cones right now.  Ceratozamia robusta (1st & 3rd photos), hildae (2nd photo with clivia flower overhanging) and latifolia (4th photo) pictured.

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33.0782 North -117.305 West  at 72 feet elevation

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On 3/25/2020 at 10:06 AM, Tracy said:

I think we are perched on the edge though Jim.  A little bit more warm weather and they will start popping.  My Cycas thouarsii x cupida and some of the pure thouarsii both have pups which are pushing small flushes right now albeit slowly for this time of year.  Overwintering bananas started ripening this last weekend and a bunch of Dypsis are opening new leaves right now, so with the longer days all we need is a little warmer daytime temps.  I like to be optimistic :D !

Well said Tracy.

I was just outside doing a walk thru of the garden coming up with some projects and noticed 2 of my princeps are starting to loose color in the fronds. With these two cycads, this is an indication of new growth is not far behind.

Lets hope we are in for some warmer weather and the new growing season.

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  • 2 weeks later...
17 hours ago, cainester said:

New flushes after walking the garden this morning. 

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Nice, who is this among all the orchids?  The emerging flush looks like a Cycas, but the trunk makes me think of Microcycas calocoma.  Nice cones and flush on the Ceratozamia as well.  C robusta I presume?

33.0782 North -117.305 West  at 72 feet elevation

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On 4/12/2020 at 6:29 AM, Tracy said:

Nice, who is this among all the orchids?  The emerging flush looks like a Cycas, but the trunk makes me think of Microcycas calocoma.  Nice cones and flush on the Ceratozamia as well.  C robusta I presume?

thanks tracy...i bought the cycas and was labeled a cycas petraea.  the cerotazamia is i believe a Mexicana that i bought years back from the home depot.  they had some 14" boxes years ago after the delmar home show that they got from rancho soledad.

 

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Here's the beginning of a 7 or 8 frond flush of an Encephalartos Ituriensis from ChuckG, I put this into the ground around July 2019 and it's been threatening to flush for 2 months.  I just lopped off the previous flush because they were stretched out to 8' long from growing in part shade.  They were kinda twisty, so I didn't want them to hit and damage the new flush in today's storms.  Otherwise I would have left them on at least until the new flush was finished.

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On 4/13/2020 at 12:38 PM, cainester said:

the cerotazamia is i believe a Mexicana that i bought years back from the home depot.  they had some 14" boxes years ago after the delmar home show that they got from rancho soledad.

Yes, now that you say Ceratozamia mexicana I can see that as a likely candidate.  The upright new flush was what reminded me of C robusta, but C mexicana flushes can start that way and then the leaves become more arching and lateral as the flush hardens off.

 

1 hour ago, Merlyn2220 said:

I just lopped off the previous flush because they were stretched out to 8' long from growing in part shade.  They were kinda twisty, so I didn't want them to hit and damage the new flush in today's storms.  Otherwise I would have left them on at least until the new flush was finished.

 

Long leaves are part and parcel for this species even growing in sunny spots but they seem to hold up pretty well in the wind here.  I have a large one in a pot and a smaller one that has been in the ground for a couple of years and neither has sustained any significant damage from wind as long as they aren't flushing when its cold wet and rainy. 

33.0782 North -117.305 West  at 72 feet elevation

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39 minutes ago, Tracy said:

Long leaves are part and parcel for this species even growing in sunny spots but they seem to hold up pretty well in the wind here.  I have a large one in a pot and a smaller one that has been in the ground for a couple of years and neither has sustained any significant damage from wind as long as they aren't flushing when its cold wet and rainy. 

In this case they were stretched out to (I'm guessing) about 30-50% longer than "normal" for the 10" caudex size.  I'm guessing that the new ones will end up around 6' long, similar to the other Whitelockii and Ituriensis that flushed last fall.  The previous flush was so top-heavy that I had to drive a stake into the ground and tie them up to stabilize the caudex.  It's on the right side of this photo, I guess the fronds were more like 10-12'...  :o  I'm hoping to grow this one into a full crown of leaves, so I'm treating this as the first flush in its new home.

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On 4/8/2020 at 1:10 PM, Palm Tree Jim said:

And princeps has started to flush.

So I'm a bit behind you with flushes.   Just this one and a little Encephalartos arenarius flushing, although plenty more threatening.  The arrival of the heat this last couple of days and anticipated to stick around for a little while should push a few more cycads in the right direction.

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33.0782 North -117.305 West  at 72 feet elevation

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  • 2 weeks later...

Looks like my E. ferox is getting ready to do something big, but it sure is slow about getting it together. It has been pushing the existing fronds down for about a month an a half for what I assume will be a big flush

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Hope it does it's thing soon

 

Richard

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On 4/8/2020 at 1:10 PM, Palm Tree Jim said:

And princeps has started to flush.

 

So something I have noticed this year is that of my Cycads with pups, it is the pups that flush first not the main caudex.  Perhaps it is because the pups are doing smaller flushes like this Cycas thouarsii x cupida?  But even some of the larger pups with up to 8" caudex on the pups are starting to pop first.  Anyone else notice this phenomena or is it just a coincidence that I'm seeing this?

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33.0782 North -117.305 West  at 72 feet elevation

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1 hour ago, Tracy said:

So something I have noticed this year is that of my Cycads with pups, it is the pups that flush first not the main caudex.  Perhaps it is because the pups are doing smaller flushes like this Cycas thouarsii x cupida?  But even some of the larger pups with up to 8" caudex on the pups are starting to pop first.  Anyone else notice this phenomena or is it just a coincidence that I'm seeing this?

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Interesting observation Tracy.

I will take a look today and get back to you. 

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2 hours ago, Palm Tree Jim said:

Interesting observation Tracy.

I will take a look today and get back to you. 

Another example with the Encephalartos horridus x woodii pictured below.  I trimmed this one to give the pup's flush some room as I know it looks like it will be a big flush. Golden yellow leaves peaking through all that wool.  A couple of Cycas thouarsii pups are doing the same, and my E arenarius x woodii too.  I'm not being selective about which ones have pups versus parent plant flushing as all my others have either a solitary caudex or neither pups nor parent plant have begun to flush yet.

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33.0782 North -117.305 West  at 72 feet elevation

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15 hours ago, Tracy said:

Another example with the Encephalartos horridus x woodii pictured below.  I trimmed this one to give the pup's flush some room as I know it looks like it will be a big flush. Golden yellow leaves peaking through all that wool.  A couple of Cycas thouarsii pups are doing the same, and my E arenarius x woodii too.  I'm not being selective about which ones have pups versus parent plant flushing as all my others have either a solitary caudex or neither pups nor parent plant have begun to flush yet.

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Nice horwood. This hybrid can so some great form.

As for pups flushing first, I currently have a nubi with the pup flushing and not the main caudex. And several others that the main caudex is flushing first. 

However, I think after this next heat wave, more of my cycads will be flushing so the experiment will continue. It seems I may be a week behind you at this point with our annual growth patterns.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 5/3/2020 at 12:50 PM, GDLWyverex said:

Looks like my E. ferox is getting ready to do something big, but it sure is slow about getting it together. It has been pushing the existing fronds down for about a month an a half for what I assume will be a big flush

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Hope it does it's thing soon

 

Richard

turns out that what I was hoping to be a really big flush is in actuality it's first cone which thus far looks to me to be female.

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It will be great to know it's gender after so many years of waiting.

 

Richard

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Lots of flushing activity this month

After last years fiasco with the infestation of scale and mealy bugs, my Cycus Debaoensis has come back with a 2 large frond flush

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The Encephalartos Hidebrandtii is indominable and has given me a very nice flush

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The Encephalartos Longifolius Joubertina is getting to be a rather large seedling and starting to acquire it's blue color

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Encephalartos Sclavoi is flushing from it's 3 pups as well as from the mother plant

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the Very multiheaded Zamina erosa makes a great under story for the Cordaline Australis and the Euphorbia

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The Zamia Integrifolia is also flushing away

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The Zamia splendens is going to town, the big one has just lost it's red hue but the little one to the left is still red

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and Zamia Vazquezii is rather enthusiastic about flushing this year

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There are several others which may become the topic of a later message

Richard

Edited by GDLWyverex
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More recent flushes

Cycas Circinalis has just finished a nice flush

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and the Cycas multipinnata seedlings are both flushing away

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After a long battle against an amazingly complete infestation which is why this one was given to me, I got a really nice flush, insect free!

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This little cycas siamensis var silver seedling is enthusiastically celebrating it's existence

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and Cycas Thouarsii through up a really grand flush last month

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My little Dioone Edule flushed early this year, while my other Dioons have yet to start

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The Encephalartos Laurentianus seedling through a couple of large new spears last month

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while the Zamia Loddigesi grove is going wild with new growth

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Not to be out done by the several zamia furfuraceas

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Eagerly waiting for a few other Zamias and the Dioons and a few Cycas to do their thing

 

Richard

 

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Almost everything in the yard is flushing or just finished, but this is probably my favorite.  It is a very clustered Dioon from ChuckG and has one of the original fronds from when I purchased it and transplanted it.  The others were a bit horked up from travel and transplant, but it is growing about 30 fronds from 6 different heads.  Wooohooo!!!! :O

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I was a bit surprised to see Megasporophylls rather than a flush on this still small Cycas.  I think I purchased it as a Cycas guizhouensis.  Much of the caudex has been covered in dirt after the heavy rains this last winter caused mud to slide down the slope and onto it.  I think that it's close proximity to a Caryota gigas may leave it competing for resources as well.

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33.0782 North -117.305 West  at 72 feet elevation

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Good Morning my worry is my 15year old plus Encephalartus Cycad has stopped flushing new leaves but pushing lots of Cones, otherwise looks ok. Would appreciate your input.

Thanks Alan.

Durban ( sub tropical)

South Africa

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On 5/18/2020 at 10:21 PM, Alan McCreary said:

Good Morning my worry is my 15year old plus Encephalartus Cycad has stopped flushing new leaves but pushing lots of Cones, otherwise looks ok. Would appreciate your input.

Thanks Alan.

Durban ( sub tropical)

South Africa

Welcome to the forum Alan.  So a few questions.  When you say it has stopped flushing leaves and is only pushing cones, how long since the last flush, and how many times has it coned without flushing?  Any idea on the species of Encephalartos and can you post a picture or two of the plant and the cones?  Have there been any stresses put on the plant such as transplanting it or digging up another plant nearby that may have disturbed it's roots?

Depending on the species of Encephalartos, some may push a cone or set of cones every year either preceded by or followed by a flush of leaves.  In some cases, the flush may only be a fraction of a "normal" flush of leaves.  I have an Encephalartos lebomboensis that skipped flushing after pushing out it's first set of cones in favor of pushing another set of cones again this year.   Other species may skip years coning.  I don't have any mature E latifrons or E latifrons hybrids, but I understand that they tend to skip coning which may be why they aren't very common.  Looking forward to seeing your photos of the plant.  The E lebomboensis which skipped flushing the last 2 years only pushing out cones is pictured below.

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33.0782 North -117.305 West  at 72 feet elevation

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I know it's only a C. revoluta and it's not even that impressive.  But I rescued it when it barely had 3 fronds left on a baseball-sized caudex, and I've kept it alive in Nebraska for 15 years.  Most of that time in North-facing apartments with no sun!  

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It didn't flush at all last year but this new push has 15 fronds, more than it has ever put out at once.

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