Cycad cones and flushes

[Billeb]

1 hour ago, DippyD said:

Some green and browns. Nubis, arens, dyers, dolos, Eugene’s, tris oh my… 

Some awesome plants there Brett. 👍🏻

 

-dale 

[DippyD]

18 minutes ago, Billeb said:

Some awesome plants there Brett. 👍🏻

 

-dale 

Getting to be too much to manage! Race here to get there. Had to run to the ranch when i realized the nubis because receptive. Then race back to juice em! 

[Tracy]

Encephalartos sclavoi flush now showing it's color as it progresses. 

[Urban Rainforest]

That is one Awesome colorfull flush!

[Jblume]

On 8/21/2025 at 2:34 PM, Gallop said:

 

 

Stunning collection! What's this one with the pink rachis?

[Gallop]

9 hours ago, Jblume said:

 

Stunning collection! What's this one with the pink rachis?

Ceratozamia becerra

[Tracy]

10 hours ago, Gallop said:

Ceratozamia becerra

Interesting.  I was thinking that the unarmed petiole was a clue that it would be a Zamia instead of a Ceratozamia.  When you get an opportunity, please share photos of the leaves when they are hardened.  I'm also curious how large this particular Ceratozamia gets.  That pink color on the flushing petiole is 

[tropicbreeze]

On one of my many wanderings out bush recently I spotted some Cycas.  A closer look showed they were C. maconochiei ssp. maconochiei. Didn't know they extended to this area. One was in the early stages of coning. The others weren't giving anything away at this stage.

[Navarro]

Y quienes son los padres de esta ? Me ha impresionado mucho 

[Gallop]

On 8/25/2025 at 5:36 AM, Navarro said:

Y quienes son los padres de esta ? Me ha impresionado mucho 

Cycas debaoensis x (tropophylla x mitcholitzii)

The hybrid is variable witch is expected in this cross. This paticular plants puts out new leaves this color as the leaves get older they turn a dark metallic blue. The trait is inherited from cycas tropophylla. 

[Hu Palmeras]

On 22/8/2025 at 19:53, Tracy said:

El ensanchamiento de Encephalartos sclavoi ahora muestra su color a medida que avanza. 

Very cool my Friend. 🌴🌴💪💪

[Hu Palmeras]

On 5/8/2025 at 22:16, Billeb said:

Sí, ese es el asesino Steve. 🤙🏻
 

-valle 

Thanks for sharing. I love the way that plant life looks.

[Urban Rainforest]

I have a flurry of flushes going right now! Heres just a few. This Encephalartos “Bunia sp.” flush looks like animal fur.

[Urban Rainforest]

Enc. Equatorialis

[Urban Rainforest]

Enc. Arenarius x Horridus

[Urban Rainforest]

While not my biggest Enc. Latifrons at 6” it is my favorite leaf form. Very recurved and stacked leaves. Throwing a little mini 3 leaf flush. Better than nothing.

[Urban Rainforest]

Enc. Munchii throwing a nice 7 leafer. 2nd flush since spring time!

[Palmzilla]

Macrozamia macdonellii cone 

[Urban Rainforest]

These Woodii Hybrids are some of the fastest Cycads I have grown! I bought them as 1 leaf seedlings 2 years ago. Im for sure potting them up to 15 gal. Next year. 
Enc. Natty wood x Are wood🤙

[Urban Rainforest]

2 minutes ago, Palmzilla said:

Macrozamia macdonellii cone 

WOW😳Thats one you dont see everyday! Your stoked bro🤙

[GeneAZ]

3 hours ago, Urban Rainforest said:

While not my biggest Enc. Latifrons at 6” it is my favorite leaf form. Very recurved and stacked leaves. Throwing a little mini 3 leaf flush. Better than nothing.

Plus all those features will become more pronounced as it gains size and age!!

[Urban Rainforest]

2 hours ago, GeneAZ said:

Plus all those features will become more pronounced as it gains size and age!!

Thanks Gene! That is definately something to look forward too!

[Merlyn]

@Urban Rainforest great flushes!  I have about 15 various Whitelockii and Ituriensis, with one that might be an Equatorialis.  They are almost all from a local grower and PTer ChuckG, who grew them from a big batch (or two) of seed.  I don't recall where he said the seed came from.  

So my question is: is there an easy way to tell "Bunia" and Equatorialis apart from Whitelockii and Ituriensis?  I found mention that Bunia is the only one with yellow cones, where others might have a yellow tinge to green cones.  Equatorialis is supposed to be a slower grower, with blue/bluegreen cones and leaves that are much stiffer than the others.  Does that seem correct?  Any other ID tricks?

[Urban Rainforest]

6 minutes ago, Merlyn said:

@Urban Rainforest great flushes!  I have about 15 various Whitelockii and Ituriensis, with one that might be an Equatorialis.  They are almost all from a local grower and PTer ChuckG, who grew them from a big batch (or two) of seed.  I don't recall where he said the seed came from.  

So my question is: is there an easy way to tell "Bunia" and Equatorialis apart from Whitelockii and Ituriensis?  I found mention that Bunia is the only one with yellow cones, where others might have a yellow tinge to green cones.  Equatorialis is supposed to be a slower grower, with blue/bluegreen cones and leaves that are much stiffer than the others.  Does that seem correct?  Any other ID tricks?

Merlyn, Im far from an expert but I am growing all the big Encephalartos and can tell you a couple differances I have noticed. 

The flush on the Bunia is unlike any of the others and litteraly looks like animal fur.

The Equatorialis has narrower leaves and the leaflets are very thick textured.

as far as speed of growth the Bunia and Equatorialis every since I got them as small seedlings have been running neck and neck with each other so no distinguishable differance that I can see.

Hope that helps, Steve

[Billeb]

9 hours ago, Urban Rainforest said:

Enc. Arenarius x Horridus

Steve, my Arenarius x Horridus just finished a 5 leaf flush in June. I looked at it today and it’s starting again!! I couldn’t believe it. Pretty crazy growth out of such a small caudex plant. It’s only about 4”. I think it’s foreshadowing its future. 🤣

 

-dale 

[Urban Rainforest]

Dale, That is awesome and mine are on their second flush since spring as well although much smaller than your plant. Im hoping they become bluer as they get bigger! I think I remember you posting a pic of your plant and it was very blue.I am noticing that anything with Arenarius in it grows fast. I have a couple Cleopatra x True blue Arenarius and one of them flushed for the third time yesterday since spring! I will be sure to take a pic of it when it gets bigger.

Steve

[Billeb]

1 hour ago, Urban Rainforest said:

Dale, That is awesome and mine are on their second flush since spring as well although much smaller than your plant. Im hoping they become bluer as they get bigger! I think I remember you posting a pic of your plant and it was very blue.I am noticing that anything with Arenarius in it grows fast. I have a couple Cleopatra x True blue Arenarius and one of them flushed for the third time yesterday since spring! I will be sure to take a pic of it when it gets bigger.

Steve

Correct. It shows the most blue out of all my cycads. Which is kinda weird now that I think about it. It was my understanding the sunscreen that makes the blue color is greater on full sun grown plants but this particular plant doesn’t get full sun at all. I’d say maybe 1/2 day at best. I’ll take a few pics to show the blue color when the light is right. 
 

-dale 

[Billeb]

13 hours ago, Urban Rainforest said:

Dale, That is awesome and mine are on their second flush since spring as well although much smaller than your plant. Im hoping they become bluer as they get bigger! I think I remember you posting a pic of your plant and it was very blue.I am noticing that anything with Arenarius in it grows fast. I have a couple Cleopatra x True blue Arenarius and one of them flushed for the third time yesterday since spring! I will be sure to take a pic of it when it gets bigger.

Steve

 

12 hours ago, Billeb said:

Correct. It shows the most blue out of all my cycads. Which is kinda weird now that I think about it. It was my understanding the sunscreen that makes the blue color is greater on full sun grown plants but this particular plant doesn’t get full sun at all. I’d say maybe 1/2 day at best. I’ll take a few pics to show the blue color when the light is right. 
 

-dale 

Steve, here it is in the few hours of morning sun. Emergent flush is lime green then to blue. 
 

-dale 

[Tracy]

A single flush but it comes on top of multiple cones pushing on an Encephalartos whitelockii × sclavoi.

[Urban Rainforest]

32 minutes ago, Billeb said:

 

Steve, here it is in the few hours of morning sun. Emergent flush is lime green then to blue. 
 

-dale 

Dale that plant looks awesome! The way the leaflets are kind if 3 dimensional it looks like it could have some true blue Arenarius in it🤔

Steve

[Urban Rainforest]

11 minutes ago, Tracy said:

A single flush but it comes on top of multiple cones pushing on an Encephalartos whitelockii × sclavoi.

Tracy that is a great looking hybrid! Those Whitelockii have alot of energy! I had a big one at my last house that used to throw multiple cones and flush at the same time as well.

[Urban Rainforest]

8 minutes ago, Urban Rainforest said:

Dale that plant looks awesome! The way the leaflets are kind if 3 dimensional it looks like it could have some true blue Arenarius in it🤔

Steve

Also the lime green flush makes me think it could have true blue arenarius in it! I have several true blues flushing right now with that lime green color.

[Billeb]

18 minutes ago, Urban Rainforest said:

Dale that plant looks awesome! The way the leaflets are kind if 3 dimensional it looks like it could have some true blue Arenarius in it🤔

Steve

I guess it’s possible. It’s from Kevin and the tag clearly states Are x Horr. I think it is correctly labeled but the plant takes on much more of the Horridus traits vs Arenarius  who knows? 

 

7 minutes ago, Urban Rainforest said:

Also the lime green flush makes me think it could have true blue arenarius in it! I have several true blues flushing right now with that lime green color.

I think the lime green flush is more of an Arenarius thing. My Blue Arenarius flushes lime green also but when the leafs harden off, it’s more of a teal color than super blue. To be honest, the plant you posted earlier as Are x Horr looks exactly like the plant I have labeled “blue Arenarius”.
 

Again…..who knows. 
 

-dale 

[Urban Rainforest]

Dale, After looking at your plant again I think your right. The leaves look too narrow to be true blue Arenarius. Your plant definately took more after the Horridus parentage! I bought a flat of regular strain Arenarius that are in 5 and 15 gal. Now and some of those are bluer than my Arenarius x Horridus. I also have a Horridus x Arenarius that is green so go figure🤔 Lot of variability so I just keep the ones that look good to me.

[Tracy]

Second flush this year on this young Cycad during its  second year in the ground.   This flush is showing more of its parents,  both were the same hybrid, Encephalartos horridus × woodii. 

[Urban Rainforest]

29 minutes ago, Tracy said:

Second flush this year on this young Cycad during its  second year in the ground.   This flush is showing more of its parents,  both were the same hybrid, Encephalartos horridus × woodii. 

Thats one good looking plant Tracy! I definately see the traits from both parents. I have 2 Natalensis x Horridus and while they are both green the leaves on one look like a Horridus and the other one has longer leaves that look straight Natalensis. Hybrids are alot of fun!!

[Tracy]

13 hours ago, Urban Rainforest said:

Thats one good looking plant Tracy! I definately see the traits from both parents. I have 2 Natalensis x Horridus and while they are both green the leaves on one look like a Horridus and the other one has longer leaves that look straight Natalensis. Hybrids are alot of fun!!

Yes, I have a pair of Encephalartos natalensis × horridus.   Both are male and hsve leaflets that show characteristics of both parents.  Overall plant size is closer to a natalensis though.  Unfortunately, even with full PM sun, neither has shown much blue.  Cones appear to more closely match to natalensis too.

[Tracy]

Encephalartos transvenosus flushing.  I had  to remove a lower flush in preparation to give access to painters.  

[Tracy]

Encephalartos kisambo flushing. It also had to get a haircut of its oldest flush 

[Billeb]

2 hours ago, Tracy said:

Encephalartos transvenosus…..  

 

2 hours ago, Tracy said:

Encephalartos kisambo….. 

Both are big boy Cycads. My Kisambo is starting to move also. It’s nowhere near the size of yours. Hopefully it starts catching speed. 
 

Now that I see them both in a side by side, I’m kinda more partial to the Transvenosus I think. Shocking cuz I always liked Kisambo. 
 

-dale