Cycads in garden

[Al in Kona]

After weeding a couple Cycads this morning and thereby making them photographable, I decided to get out the camera and take these pics of different Cycads most of which are either alongside or visible from our driveway. My grandson Christian, 12, (measures 1.73m or 5'8" tall) was here to add scale to some of the photos.

Left to Right, Top to Bottom

1. Ceratozamia robusta

2. Two different plants acquired as Ceratozamia robusta

3. Cycas kuesteriana

4. Cycas kuesteriana (two plants next to each other)

5. Cycas petrea (not possitive on ID)

6. Ceratozamia mirandae

[Al in Kona]

7. Cycas cairnsiana

8. Ceratozamia sp. ?

9. Ceratozamia sp. ?

10. Dioon mejiae

11. Dioon merolae

12. Dioon spinulosum - 2 plants

13. Dioon spinulosum - single

[Al in Kona]

14. Dioon tomasellii

15. Dioon sp. (Jamiltepec, Oaxaca, Mex.)

16. Encephalartos arenarius

17. Encephalartos ferox - single

18. Encephalartos ferox - 2 plants

19. Encephalartos laurentianus - young plant

[Al in Kona]

20. Lepidozamia hopei

21. Macrozamia communis

22. Macrozamia johnsonii X moorei

23. Macrozamia moorei X lucida

24. Zamia angustifolia

That's all the pics for this round.

[Walter John]

Great cycads Al.

[virtualpalm]

After weeding a couple Cycads this morning and thereby making them photographable, I decided to get out the camera and take these pics of different Cycads most of which are either alongside or visible from our driveway. My grandson Christian, 12, (measures 1.73m or 5'8" tall) was here to add scale to some of the photos.

Left to Right, Top to Bottom

1. Ceratozamia robusta

2. Two different plants acquired as Ceratozamia robusta

3. Cycas kuesteriana

4. Cycas kuesteriana (two plants next to each other)

5. Cycas petrea (not possitive on ID)

6. Ceratozamia mirandae

Al, these are wonderful cycads, indeed! I can help with a couple of your IDs:

1. Ceratozamia sp. 'El Mirador' (in the Cz. robusta complex but will probably receive a separate name)

2. Plant in rear = Ceratozamia robusta (Belize or Guatemala form); plant in front = Ceratozamia sp. (not sure which locality)

Jody

[virtualpalm]

7. Cycas cairnsiana

8. Ceratozamia sp. ?

9. Ceratozamia sp. ?

10. Dioon mejiae

11. Dioon merolae

12. Dioon spinulosum - 2 plants

13. Dioon spinulosum - single

8. Ceratozamia latifolia

9. Cz. latifolia complex (not sure of the form)

Jody

[freakypalmguy]

Beautiful cycads Al, thank you for posting them.

[Really full garden]

Al, a beautiful collection of cycads.I wish I could find Ceratozamia robusta here in Guatemala.

[Gileno Machado]

Marvelous plants Al,

How long ago have you started planting these beautiful Cycads in the ground? Are they irrigated at the moment? I've had a few problems here with Cycas cairnsiana and this species doesn't seem to enjoy our wet summers. How do you protect them from excessive moisture? (I know Kona is located on the drier side, but...). Thanks for sharing these great photos and say hello to Christian.

[ariscott]

Al, Nice cycads!!

Gileno... I planted my C. cairnsiana in lots of sand. It seems to work, although I have to say... it is still not happy.

Regards, Ari

[Cindy Adair]

Wow!Great looking plants! I only have a few of the commom cycads. Someday....

[gyuseppe]

22. Macrozamia johnsonii X moorei

23. Macrozamia moorei X lucida

There are also Macrozamia hybrid ?

I did not know!!!!

[Bill Austin]

Al great looking cycads maybe some time when I am on the kona side I could stop by would love to see your garden.

[Palmzilla]

Hawaii looks like a supreme environment for cycads. They all looks absolutely perfect, I wish my laurentianus would look like yours

[Tropicgardener]

A fantastic collection of Cycads......very nice indeed!!!I lost my Cycas cairnsiana and Cycas coutsiana when I moved here from outback Queensland. They both did fine out there but resented the humidity here......Cycas coutsiana died first with cairnsiana lingering until this last wet season.

Edited March 31, 2011 by Tropicgardener

[MattyB]

Nice pics Al, thanks.

[realarch]

Well Al, I had no idea you had such a beautiful collection of cycads. They do look perfect. Has Hemmes been over to see them?

[Al in Kona]

It's always a pleasure sharing some of these Cycads with you. Hope you'll do the same. Now in respnse to some of your comments.

Jody, much thanks for your help in identifying some of my Ceratozamia spieces. I admire your Cycad knowledge.

Palmzilla, thanks for the Cycad complement, not perfect plants but I'd say our Kona climate does permit most of them to grow well here. While Encephalortos laurentianus is considered the largest of all Cycads, my plant is still very small having been ground planted as a small seedling a little less than 2-years ago. Hoefully another 2-years will give noteable growth.

Andrew, sorry to hear that both Cycas cairnsiana and S. coutsiana did not survive for you. My Cycas cairnsiana plants have perfect drainage growing in pourous rocky soil. However, we tend to have rather high humidity even during periods of little to no rainfall. It's very eye catching when a new flush of growth occurs as they are a very silvery glaucous color but after time tend to gradually become more green.

Gileno, all these pictured Cycads have been ground planted for many years - most planted as seedlings. Only the Encephalartos laurentianus and the Cycas petrea are more recently planted. All are pretty much growing on their own with very minimal supplemental watering of only some during a rare long dry period (last year was our driest ever). We can also get periods of lots of rain (normal summers will bring afternoon or evening showers) with high humidity but our super fast draining volcanic soils do not permit puddling, which is a plus. BTW, I just acquired one very tiny new seedling of Zamia ipetiensis which came from a seed that germinated in Nov. 2010.

Bill Austin, yeah stop by for a visit sometime!

[ariscott]

I have a few now that is getting to good size, even not as big as yours of course, Al. But, I have to weed first... my garden looks shocking!!! It is weeds with plants... not plants with weeds...

[Peter]

I always love pictures of your garden Al!

[Xenon]

Amazing photos Al! Even the leeward side looks lush...

Jonathan

[Gbarce]

Wow!!! mature cycads are really impressive in a garden. Those are all so well grown and I love your selection of species.

I have to look for some Cycas kuesteriana and Zamia angustifolia now. I didn't really like fine leaf cycads until now.

[KPL]

Al, Thank you for such beautiful photos. Those Cycads are the best!

We (still saying we, but I'll get it soon enough), had a few Cycads, but many had white lice, or something like that, so they had to be taken out.

When you're over on this side, PLEASE stop by.

Christian 12, and 5'8", my he'll be catching up to you real soon! Give Sylvia my warmest regards.

kpl

[Tampa Scott]

Nice pictures of Cycads. I have a few nothing rare. My favorite is C. taitungensis ( Emperor Sago) I get 3-4 flushes of leaves a year and a male flower. 10 years from a 1 gal plant. Now 7' to top of leaves