Cycad Row, Cape Coral, FL

[PalmatierMeg]

I have a number of small to very large potted (mostly) cycads. Most of them are from genus Zamia, which grows very well in my humid, subtropical climate, but I also have some Dioon and Encephalartos. The Zamia are species but also hybrids of loddigesii, pumila and variegata. Earlier this year I gathered them together and set them on blocks on our garden lot. There they are coning and producing seeds and seedlings. Last winter I finally planted my largest Encephalartos horridus. And my Dioon edule has grown huge and is putting out pups. Today I took the following photos.

Cycad Row, Cape Coral, FL, 2020

 v. 'Queretaro Blue' has grown huge and is putting out pups. Today I

 

[PalmatierMeg]

Dioon edule var. 'Queretaro Blue'

Encephalartos horridus

Encephalartos sp

[Merlyn]

1 hour ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Encephalartos horridus

That's a great cycad collection and a nice Salmiana in the background!  You might have gotten photos mixed up, the one above labeled E. Horridus is a Dioon Spinulosum.  It looks super happy in a part shade area!

[PalmatierMeg]

14 hours ago, Merlyn2220 said:

That's a great cycad collection and a nice Salmiana in the background!  You might have gotten photos mixed up, the one above labeled E. Horridus is a Dioon Spinulosum.  It looks super happy in a part shade area!

Thanks for the correction. My knowledge of cycads is somewhat lacking.

[Tracy]

Nice collection of Zamia species.  The one I wish I could grow is this one

Unfortunately, this one just doesn't like growing outside here.  I think our winter's do them in if outside.  We can grow some of the more common Zamia's but others require a greenhouse environment.

[Merlyn]

2 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Thanks for the correction. My knowledge of cycads is somewhat lacking.

Your Spinulosum should do well there, I have 4 here in North Orlando area and they are kind of borderline here.  They start taking damage (especially with frost) around 26-28F, defoliate below 23 and die around 20.  They'll grow in full sun but tend to look kind of limey-green.  Mine in shade similar to yours look the best, with a nice solid green and no sunburn spots.

One of your other Zamias might be Fairchildiana, the one in the first photo in the bright blue pot with the long leaves and smooth edges.  It's hard to tell from the photos, and I'm no expert at distinguishing the Zamias.  I also have several of the long-leaf "intermediate hybrids" of Loddigesii, Furfuracea, and who-knows-what.  If it's spiny on the edges it is not a Fairchildiana, but it looks like it might be smooth.  Here's some other photos for reference.  https://www.agaveville.org/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=1604

[Tracy]

5 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Thanks for the correction. My knowledge of cycads is somewhat lacking.

Meg, you likely will recognize Encephalartos horridus when you see it with the distinguishing blue color and very twisted and ferocious leaflets.  There are only a couple of things you might get it confused with, perhaps a broadleaf variety of trispinosis or some sort of horridus hybrid.  That's my girl below finishing up her flush earlier this summer.  New flush has a little less blue than when completely hardened off, making it easy to see where the new and old flush start and end.  Speaking of blue twisted hybrids, that little one in the corner of the frame is an Encephalartos blue arenarius x latifrons.... distinctly different than a horridus in appearance, but twisted and ferocious all the same.