Sold to me as Encephalartos Longifolius x Princeps. This plant has exploded in 5yrs. Planted out as a 1G with a 2-3” caudex at the most. 
 

-dale 

Some of my Encephalartos growing in the front are pushing flushes, finally catching up with the rest of you in Southern California. 

Here’s a cross from Kevin Weaver I’ve never seen before. Should be pretty cool when older.
Encephalartos Natalensis x Middelburgensis 

-dale 

 

6 hours ago, Billeb said:

Here’s a cross from Kevin Weaver I’ve never seen before. Should be pretty cool when older.
Encephalartos Natalensis x Middelburgensis 

-dale 

 

Interesting,  I am actually surprised those two would hybridize.   While they are both from the same genus, they are pretty far apart within the groupings of the genus.  I don't recall ever seeing any hybrids of natalensis with the group that is associated with middelburgensis which includes eugene-maraisii,  nubimontanus, dyerianus and cupidus.

While walking around looking at my several Horridus that are flushing the other day I noticed that I have 7 distinct leaf forms. How many are there? Here is one I have had for a very long time and started from a pup. I call it the OG because it was a form you used to see alot when I first got into Cycads over 30 years ago. Interestingly I dont see it around much anymore but I’m sure they are out there. Notice the narrow tubular leaflets.

2 hours ago, Tracy said:

Interesting,  I am actually surprised those two would hybridize.   While they are both from the same genus, they are pretty far apart within the groupings of the genus.  I don't recall ever seeing any hybrids of natalensis with the group that is associated with middelburgensis which includes eugene-maraisii,  nubimontanus, dyerianus and cupidus.

Agreed Tracy. As per that previous thread and documents you noted, these two are in different Clades (C6 & C7) but apparently still successfully cross. Here’s the tag from Kevin. I would assume his ID’s are correct??!?! 
 

-dale 

This plant I posted last year and Tracy dubbed it twisted sister🤣This is hands down my favorite leaf form! It has very wide 3 dimensional leaflets similar to true blue Arenarius.                    E. Horridus var. Twisted Sister🤣

 

My second favorite leaf form is the Dwarf Horridus. You cant beat a good Dwarf!

This one is just a basic very small but interesting leaf form. I will post my other leaf forms once they flush.

@Urban Rainforest here’s my “Special” leaf form I’ve posted about previously hardening off. It does look like it’s recurling near the end but other than that….no difference than others I’ve seen. I’m sure it will change looks in maturity. 
 

-dale 

18 minutes ago, Billeb said:

@Urban Rainforest here’s my “Special” leaf form I’ve posted about previously hardening off. It does look like it’s recurling near the end but other than that….no difference than others I’ve seen. I’m sure it will change looks in maturity. 
 

-dale 

Nice looking plant dale! Recurved leaves are always a bonus. I really like the ones that make a full circle at the end of the leaf!

I have a couple Trispinosus throwing as well.This one is very recurved and is the Thresher shark var. Any of you fishermen out there will recognize the thresher shark leaflets.

Tri standard leaf form. Very recurved though.

Encephalartos Caffer throwing its first multi leaf flush. These leaves are trippy looking!

This is the best leaf form of all my True Blue Arenarius. Thing looks like a gnarly blue Ferox!

My dwarf Horridus decided to not only throw recurved leaves but complete circles at the end if every leaf. Crazy thing is I have had it for 20+ years and this is the first time I remember it doing so🤔 But I guess in Cycad years it is still a juvenile.

This flush looked especially nice today on my OG Horridus! Lovin the contrast of the salmon colored flush against the blue leaves.

The Arenarius x Latifrons beauty. 
 

-dale 

Hey I recognize that plant😊 Looking good in its new home🤙

Steve

My Encephalartos longifolius is growing both in longitude and latitude with these two flushes.

Encephalartos Blue Arenarius getting there!

-dale

These flushes all progressing nicely!

Cycas Siamensis silver

Pure strain Arenarius

Horridus

This is a plant that was acquired as an Encephalartos blue arenarius hybrid which has enough horridus that its male cones have looked like horridus. The leaves & leaflets are just starting to harden and gradually will turn blue like the older flush seen under this set of new flushes (main caudex and a couple of small pups).

1 hour ago, Tracy said:

This is a plant that was acquired as an Encephalartos blue arenarius hybrid which has enough horridus that its male cones have looked like horridus. The leaves & leaflets are just starting to harden and gradually will turn blue like the older flush seen under this set of new flushes (main caudex and a couple of small pups).

Tracy, I’d say for sure it’s crossed with Horridus. Here’s my Are x Hor and it looks strikingly similar and much different than the Blue Arenarius I posted above. Makes me wonder if this is Blue Arenarius x Horridus or a green? I don’t know why but I always assumed it was green. It would appear it’s a Blue Arenarius cross like yours. This is a super good grower for me. 5yrs from a 2” caudex or so.

-dale

From what I’ve heard, blue arenarius is a naturally occurring hybrid between arenarius and horridus. So breeding back to horridus would get you 3/4 horridus and definitely more blue

Encephalartos latifrons x altensteinii natural hybrid. This came from Loran Whitlock in around 1980. Loran got a group of 5 plants in Durban at a nursery. I've been able to acquire 2 of them over the decades.

This specimen hasn't grown for 4 years, but had tremendous cataphyll spread at the apex. There are rarely, but occasionally, man-made hybrids available; but they always lack the lustrous beauty of these plants from the natural population.

21 leaves this time.

This was originally an 8-inch tuber. Now it's 2 feet of stem!

Cycas revoluta variegated. I actually don't know if this type of coloring is variegation or chimera or something else. You'll notice the one leaf is displaying half-and-half variegation on one rachis which shoves the plant into more chimera or some other description. It doesn't make marbled pigmentation.The other two I have are variegated, but the Polaroid type that emerges green then gradually turns bright yellow marbling. I'll follow up with images as this one develops -- hah!!

59 minutes ago, GeneAZ said:

Encephalartos latifrons x altensteinii natural hybrid. This came from Loran Whitlock in around 1980. Loran got a group of 5 plants in Durban at a nursery. I've been able to acquire 2 of them over the decades.

This specimen hasn't grown for 4 years, but had tremendous cataphyll spread at the apex. There are rarely, but occasionally, man-made hybrids available; but they always lack the lustrous beauty of these plants from the natural population.

21 leaves this time.

This was originally an 8-inch tuber. Now it's 2 feet of stem!

I suspect this plant isn't easy to move due to extensive roots out the bottom and into the soil. It is a beast but an attractive beast! Has it revealed itself to be a girl or a boy yet?

Never coned for me.

No roots out the bottom at all. Plant is on a large paver and leveled. Made two pups recently. Haven't moved this in about 8 years.

6 hours ago, GeneAZ said:

Never coned for me.

No roots out the bottom at all. Plant is on a large paver and leveled. Made two pups recently. Haven't moved this in about 8 years.

That is pretty amazing on both fronts.

I was checking out my True Blue Arenarius today most of which are flushing now and out of 14 plants about half are throwing green flushes and half blue. I believe Tracy brought this up in another post that he had observed this as well that they all end up turning blue. This has been my experience as well. Interestingly these plants not only came from the same flat but the same cone!

One more

Encephalartos Lehmannii throwing a nice lavender flush.

The plant I acquired as Encephalartos horridus Steytlerville form has a couple of flushes working. The main caudex is behind the next largest caudex.

I have 3 Microcycas calocoma that flush annually at the start of the rainy season. Unfortunately when the rains start here we get these nasty little red beetle like bugs that destroy the new flushes. This year one of my Microcycas calocoma flushed before the first rains so my hope is that they will harden off before the rains start.

There are a number of flushes working there way through my California garden right now. I wish I could spell the old abbreviation for California with the Encephalartos species names, but I am not growing any ferox so lack the "f". I detest the term some use as a substitute for the state, which is "Cali" but without the "f" that is what I'm stuck spelling:

C = for Encephalartos caffer

A = for Encephalartos arenarius

L = for Encephalartos lehmanii or longifolius

I = for Encephalartos ituriensis

Back in the day, before the postal service implemented the two letter state abbreviations, we wrote "Calif." for the abbreviation on mail. Anyone remember using that abbreviation and how much a stamp cost in that day?

On a slightly different note, I can't help thinking of the tragic outbreak of ebola virus currently happening in the Ituri region when I look at my two E. ituriensis.