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Is altensteinii the most cold hardy broadleafed Encephalartos?


NorCalWill

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I just read online that it was, but can any Encephalartos growers verify this claim?

I don't believe everything I read online...

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I'm growing this species here in Alameda, California and it handles our local winters with lows to 28~29°F, and www.smgrowers.com lists it as hardy to 26°F at their Goleta nursery location, but they list a half dozen other Encephalartos spp they grow as hardy to the same temps.

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Ben has one in his garden and it is flushing....right now.....cold wasn't bad but flushing in winter seems to be impressive to me....

John Case

Brentwood CA

Owner and curator of Hana Keu Garden

USDA Zone 9b more or less, Sunset Zone 14 in winter 9 in summer

"Its always exciting the first time you save the world. Its a real thrill!"

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The one I have that is currently flushing is an E whitelockii...which you'd think much less cold hardy. None of my Encephalartos seemed to mind our winter low of 30 degrees...and as John said I am already getting flushes!

Ben Rogers

On the border of Concord & Clayton in the East Bay hills - Elev 387 ft 37.95 °N, 121.94 °W

My back yard weather station: http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/hdfForecast?query=37.954%2C-121.945&sp=KCACONCO37

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I think they're is a good chance this is correct. I have noticed that they are 2 degrees more cold hardy for leaf damage, compared to the ferox, natalensis, senticosus, and those type of plants. Leaf damage was not until 21f if they are under oak trees. I have not tested the stem death temperature on these,as compared to the others, but they did survive 15f.

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The one I have that is currently flushing is an E whitelockii...which you'd think much less cold hardy. None of my Encephalartos seemed to mind our winter low of 30 degrees...and as John said I am already getting flushes!

My mistake....sorry 'bout that!....

John Case

Brentwood CA

Owner and curator of Hana Keu Garden

USDA Zone 9b more or less, Sunset Zone 14 in winter 9 in summer

"Its always exciting the first time you save the world. Its a real thrill!"

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Where I live temps get into the high teens every year and many times in the mid 20s... E altesteinii has not been burned yet and I have a fairly small plant, but then neither has my E lehmanniis (larger plants but still only baseball sized caudex). E whitelockii is completely defoliated yearly, but grows back in the spring (so far) with a basketball sized caudex. E arenarius also seems fairly unaffected by temps down into the high teens (even dinky seedlings of this tough). E tripspinosus also untouched. E horridus though gets frost damage yearly. My Ceratozamias seem a bit fried at temps that low, but our low temps are usually associated with severe windy conditions which further add to their destructive properties (which is why Ceratozamia mexicana, which is supposed be hardier than most Encephalartos, was affected). Dioons for the most part, seem fairly untouched by cold as well, but all surprisingly (with a few exceptions) damaged by summer heat and sun... so they become 'partial shade plants' here. Macrozamias are pretty hardy as a group so far, but tad bit of burn on them from temps in the teens. My biggest surprise so far has been my Encephalartos turneri, which was completely unfazed last year by temps into the high teens but this year did lose its old leaves by 20F and 60mph winds... was thinking this cycad would be a total wimp. Also my Encephalartos middleburgensis has not been affected negatively, other than it refuses to make new leaves. Encephalartos longifolius always badly damaged, and E cerenus killed (and that was sadly a pretty large plant). E caffer also a cold wimp, but still alive. Cycas revolutas untouched, but C taitungensis get leaf tip burn (though perhaps more from wind exposure than the cold itself). Overall, NOT a good climate for cycads here, but not hopeless.

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  • 3 years later...

Hello. I know this post is ancient, but wondering if there are any updates on experience? I just bought a 10 year old Altensteinii. I found this list on Plants Delights Nursery where theirs survived and recovered from lows of 4-9*F . It’s an interesting list.

http://blog.plantdelights.com/winter-hardy-cycads/

Edited by Meangreen94z
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I don't have direct experience with the Altensteinii, but have read that the Lehmannii is possibly more hardy.  The other ones I've read are very hardy are E. Princeps, C. Panzhihuaensis, D. Edule, C. Kuesteriana, D. Angustifolium, and of course C. Revoluta.  I'm not sure if your cold fronts in Houston are normally accompanied by rain or snow, but that would make a difference on whether they survive or not.  Some of the "desert" plants can take really cold nights, but only if it's dry.  Some of them just rot in the summer FL humidity and daily rainstorms.  I have Altensteinii as one of the plants to try in Orlando as it's supposed to be fairly humidity- and water-tolerant.

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I think the key word in this post was broad leaf.   Altensteinii isn't close to as leaf hardy as lehmanii, caffer, Cerinus horridus, and none of those are even close to Freddy G. If you can keep frost and snow off of the leaves most non equatorial encephalartos will take mid 20's without issue at all.  lehmanii and Caffer will take high teens, low 20's. The plumose Caffer and freddy G are the only encephalartos that never burned at all last year for us. My silver (and best looking) lehmanii only had some tip burn on the newest leaves.

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