Current Favorite Cycad?

[Tracy]

Another Encephalartos with wide leaflets and a bit of twist.  This is an Encephalartos latifrons, but I don't know which form it is.  

It seems to still be adapting to being planted in the ground at 4 years since it came out of its container.   I was happy to see this 10 leaf flush since the prior flush was only 3 leaves.  The ratio of leaflet width th length seems very dramatic with this specimen. 

[Urban Rainforest]

Tracy, That leaf form seem like its the same as my biggest Lati which is my favorite Cycad as well!

[Urban Rainforest]

This Latifrons Has a much differant leaf form. It has much more stacked leaflets and is more recurved in some cases making a complete circle at the end of the leaf.

[Urban Rainforest]

My second best is this Horridus. Its my favorite leaf form of all my Horridus! Its even more 3 dimensional and crazy than my Dwarf Horridus.

[Tracy]

3 hours ago, Urban Rainforest said:

This Latifrons Has a much differant leaf form. It has much more stacked leaflets and is more recurved in some cases making a complete circle at the end of the leaf.

Maybe Gene in Arizona will weigh in with which form these appear to be.  I expect that mine may still change some as it continues adapting to its environment and gets larger.  Even at a 10" diameter caudex, I think of it as an adolescent as about to an adult plant.  It is past the juvenile state, but still not a real adult.  Thanks for sharing the nice specimens, and that twisted sister of an Encephalartos horridus.

[Urban Rainforest]

Yeah I would say for a plant that lives hundreds of years their just gettin going. I bought my big ones the same day outa the same flat and they are both Trappes valley just differant variations. Def not green hills! I literally have at least 5 differant leaf forms of Horridus and they are all Horridus. Twisted sister threw a pup a couple years ago so im gonna have twin twisted sisters🤣

[Urban Rainforest]

28 minutes ago, Tracy said:

Maybe Gene in Arizona will weigh in with which form these appear to be.  I expect that mine may still change some as it continues adapting to its environment and gets larger.  Even at a 10" diameter caudex, I think of it as an adolescent as about to an adult plant.  It is past the juvenile state, but still not a real adult.  Thanks for sharing the nice specimens, and that twisted sister of an Encephalartos horridus.

Thanks for sharing your pics as well👍Never get tired of looking at Latifrons! Its kind of an addiction! I picked up 3 more last year and 2 of them are throwing right now.

[TropicsEnjoyer]

On 6/6/2023 at 2:41 PM, realarch said:

Tracy, I did read your response to a post by PalmatierMeg about the limitations of growing the silver Encephalartos in Florida due to high rainfall and humidity, and poor drainage

Fairchild gardens has a decent collection of encephalartos and they seem perfectly fine. I think the key is creating a sort of deserty planting spot.

 

[GeneAZ]

I'm hesitant to wade into this subject of E. latifrons Trappes Valley or Green Hills, because these are only two leaf forms that were named for plants with a certain collection of traits;  but there are quite a few leaf forms that fall under "typicum" or simply superior/inferior forms.  But they all are gorgeous with the latifrons blood elevating the qualities of each one when well grown.

In South Africa, the Trappes Valley form is considered to be the superior form and is known for the greatest arch of the rachis and curly ends of each rachis.  Also, it will display the darkest sea green color of any latifrons leaves, even in strong sunlight.  Its leaflets are longer; closer to arenarius in length; and it should have 3 or more long lobes on each leaflet.   Leaflets should stay full size all the way out to the final curl so you see this fierce vitality!  Its petiole will show sort of a faceted shape with a flat surface facing upwards and the sides and bottom having almost corners then proceeding downward to another sort of corner; but juveniles may not show this facet trait until the caudex is closer to cantaloupe size.

Plant in the L.A. County Arboretum I captured in the 1980s.

Next, my largest plant.  The newest leaves are lighter color.

 

Next my South Africa friend's plant with a more blunt texture to the lobes.

 

So you can see this is quite a distinct animal and it is very seldom seen in the pure form.  It has been crazy popular for so long that many hybrids have been made with Green Hills' superior forms; so there's quite a bit of dilution and confusion out there since quite large hybrid beautiful plants are now to be seen which are confusing the market.

Then there's Green Hills which was also isolated as gorgeous but distinct in many traits from Trappes Valley; namely, shorter and rounder leaflets and a consistent somewhat lighter green color.  Also, that severe recurve at the ends is not there, and the leaflets do somewhat reduce at the end and the petiole doesn't have the faceted trait that is present in Trappes Valley.

Next my young adult plant.

Next my friend's plant in her SA garden.

See the gentle arching,  but no signifcant recurve, and the leaflets reduce toward the end of the leaf.

 

Then there's the typical or "typicum" plants which is where the greatest variability comes into the soup.  These depart, to a greater or lesser degree, from the preferred forms of Trappes and Green Hills; but even well grown plants have considerable appeal and value.  Sometimes these plants have all the traits of Trappes except for the very dark green lustrous color; I feel these plants are certainly entitled to be quite high priced, but not to the level of Trappes.

 

Some "typicum" plants.

 

Plant in nature along a dry river wash.

Plants in nature on hillside some might call Green Hills or an intermediate form.

Next a plant I consider an intermediate form, but a great form judging by the leaf quality of the offsets.   Appearance as it was being removed from Dick Johnson's collecction; later to reappear at the San Diego Zoo.

 

Next, one of Loran's plants.

So those were what I consider more typical or intermediate forms.  Still nothing to sneeze at!

So this is usually where the fighting begins since everyone has their own feelings about this stuff.  But it should be emphasized that the concept of Trappes Valley and the concept of Green Hills are each a collection of traits put together by people to make order out of what we are seeing.  It should not be used to suggest that the Trappes Valley geographic territory itself contains only Trappes Valley indiduals.  To the contrary, other latifrons in that same valley were variable; each with more subtle presence of the traits colloquially known as "Trappes Valley" form.

So now you probably know less than you did when we started!

Large female Trappes alley at Kirstenbosch gardens in SA.

galary_images_276.BMP

[Urban Rainforest]

Gene, Thanks for dropping all that knowlege on us! I feel like I know alot more about my favorite Cycad and the valuable information you provided I have not even read in any books. Good stuff👍I seem to have both forms that came outa the same flat and Im assuming the same cone. My biggest one is green with a little recurve. While the smaller one is dark green and recurves into full circles at the ends of the leaves. Like you said none of them are anything to sneeze at!

[Tracy]

On 7/10/2025 at 2:31 PM, GeneAZ said:

I'm hesitant to wade into this subject of E. latifrons Trappes Valley or Green Hills, because these are only two leaf forms that were named for plants with a certain collection of traits;  but there are quite a few leaf forms that fall under "typicum" or simply superior/inferior forms.  But they all are gorgeous with the latifrons blood elevating the qualities of each one when well grown.

In South Africa, the Trappes Valley form is considered to be the superior form and is known for the greatest arch of the rachis and curly ends of each rachis.  Also, it will display the darkest sea green color of any latifrons leaves, even in strong sunlight.  Its leaflets are longer; closer to arenarius in length; and it should have 3 or more long lobes on each leaflet.   Leaflets should stay full size all the way out to the final curl so you see this fierce vitality!  Its petiole will show sort of a faceted shape with a flat surface facing upwards and the sides and bottom having almost corners then proceeding downward to another sort of corner; but juveniles may not show this facet trait until the caudex is closer to cantaloupe size.

Plant in the L.A. County Arboretum I captured in the 1980s.

Next, my largest plant.  The newest leaves are lighter color.

 

Next my South Africa friend's plant with a more blunt texture to the lobes.

 

So you can see this is quite a distinct animal and it is very seldom seen in the pure form.  It has been crazy popular for so long that many hybrids have been made with Green Hills' superior forms; so there's quite a bit of dilution and confusion out there since quite large hybrid beautiful plants are now to be seen which are confusing the market.

Then there's Green Hills which was also isolated as gorgeous but distinct in many traits from Trappes Valley; namely, shorter and rounder leaflets and a consistent somewhat lighter green color.  Also, that severe recurve at the ends is not there, and the leaflets do somewhat reduce at the end and the petiole doesn't have the faceted trait that is present in Trappes Valley.

Next my young adult plant.

Next my friend's plant in her SA garden.

See the gentle arching,  but no signifcant recurve, and the leaflets reduce toward the end of the leaf.

 

Then there's the typical or "typicum" plants which is where the greatest variability comes into the soup.  These depart, to a greater or lesser degree, from the preferred forms of Trappes and Green Hills; but even well grown plants have considerable appeal and value.  Sometimes these plants have all the traits of Trappes except for the very dark green lustrous color; I feel these plants are certainly entitled to be quite high priced, but not to the level of Trappes.

 

Some "typicum" plants.

 

Plant in nature along a dry river wash.

Plants in nature on hillside some might call Green Hills or an intermediate form.

Next a plant I consider an intermediate form, but a great form judging by the leaf quality of the offsets.   Appearance as it was being removed from Dick Johnson's collecction; later to reappear at the San Diego Zoo.

 

Next, one of Loran's plants.

So those were what I consider more typical or intermediate forms.  Still nothing to sneeze at!

So this is usually where the fighting begins since everyone has their own feelings about this stuff.  But it should be emphasized that the concept of Trappes Valley and the concept of Green Hills are each a collection of traits put together by people to make order out of what we are seeing.  It should not be used to suggest that the Trappes Valley geographic territory itself contains only Trappes Valley indiduals.  To the contrary, other latifrons in that same valley were variable; each with more subtle presence of the traits colloquially known as "Trappes Valley" form.

So now you probably know less than you did when we started!

Large female Trappes alley at Kirstenbosch gardens in SA.

galary_images_276.BMP 1.13 MB · 3 downloads

Based on your tutorial,  I  see a typicum form in my plant with some Green Valley traits.  It is still relatively young, so some characteristics may yet develop.   I don't see this one ever going to the deep dark green of the Trappes Valley.  This latest flush still hasn't hardened,  so it remains the bright green which will darken some.  I repeat the previous post, thanking you for sharing your knowledge. 

[GeneAZ]

I'm leaning towards Green Hills, but a clearly superior form for stacking.  Also, these just get better and better as they dig in and the flushes mature and more traits come out.  On the downside, when you've lived with these for 5 or 10 years, you get so attached to them that you never want to part with one.

[Tracy]

I absolutely love when leaf tips on Cycads are recurved on themselves like this Encephalartos arenarius. 

[Billeb]

Definitely not much to look at right now but the new healthy growth makes this plant my favorite today. Encephalartos Horridus x (Arenarius x Woodii) flushing late summer. 
 

-dale 

[Urban Rainforest]

1 hour ago, Billeb said:

Definitely not much to look at right now but the new healthy growth makes this plant my favorite today. Encephalartos Horridus x (Arenarius x Woodii) flushing late summer. 
 

-dale 

I see lots of Horridus in that new leaf and even a little blue! Also a nice wide leaf from the Are x Wood.That plant should only get better as it gets bigger!

[Tracy]

Still a ways off, and perhaps I am counting my eggs before they hatch.  These cones on my Encephalartos horridus x woodii which got woodii pollen this go round are getting close to breaking up with the harvesting and cleaning of seeds soon to come.

[Urban Rainforest]

I think this is my fav today. Nice little 3 leaf flush progressing nicely.

[OutpostPalms]

 

Heres my dioon edule. Just planted a week or two ago. Nice little plant.