Cycad soil

[96720]

I’m looking at planting some cycads and was wondering if you use any special soil

[Tracy]

2 hours ago, 96720 said:

I’m looking at planting some cycads and was wondering if you use any special soil

Well draining soil particularly if you are in an area of high rainfall.  Some genera or species within a genus will be more sensitive to wet feet than others.  Any specific cycads in mind?

[96720]

Doom merole

[Tracy]

10 hours ago, 96720 said:

Doom merole

96720 or Phoenix?????  Big difference in those two localities.  Either way with a Dioon merolae, it will appreciate a well drained soil mix.  i have started with a cactus mix and added more pumice to it for most of my Dioons in pots. While I don't have experience with merolae, I have grown two close relatives in D. mejiae and D spinulosum.

[Merlyn]

It depends on the species and your climate.  In Florida it is swampy and we have daily thunderstorms in the summer.  I have 140 cycads planted in the ground, and most of them are planted with a combination of native sandy soil mixed with a bit of perlite and coarse gravel.  The more tropical types like Encephalartos Laurentianus and Whitelockii I didn't really amend at all.  More desert types like E. Trispinosus and Horridus I make sure they are in mostly inorganic soil on a raised area.  So in my case the big concern is keeping them dry enough to avoid root and caudex rot.

In Phoenix I'd bet a lot of the desert type Encephalartos would be happy without needing special treatment, but I don't have any experience in those areas.  Some ones like Horridus live where they only get 2 inches of annual rainfall. 

Dioon Merolae is (I think) one of the semi-tropical Dioons.  I have limited experience with them, I bought 6 small ones last summer from a local grower.  I have 5 of them planted in three different raised areas with mostly native sandy soil.  Here in FL they are in full sun, but in Phoenix they might want some afternoon shade.  This site says "This is a frost-tolerant, heat-tolerant and sun-tolerant species. It prefer well drained, gritty soil with plenty of water, especially in dry weather."  It's probably worth researching on how much water they need.

http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/PALMS_AND_CYCADS/Family/Zamiaceae/18074/Dioon_merolae

[96720]

In Phoenix I don’t plant any cycads in full sun this one is planted between palms so now it will get a few hours of midday sun but as the palms grow it will get filtered light if it survives that long