New Cycas taitungensis-- dividing & planting

[MarkbVet]

Just recently received my Cycad,  Cycas taitungensis,  a plant resembling the common Sago Palm, but larger, faster growing, and cold-hardier.  Should be reliable in zone 8.   The nursery source had specific instructions as to how to handle and plant this bare-root specimen, to avoid complications such as fungal rot which often afflicts bare root cycad transplants.  Also, I got a 2- headed plant, so I performed a cut-and-divide operation on it, which then leaves a freshly cut surface to deal with (and prevent from rotting).  First pics are of intact plant, followed by the 2 freshly separated pieces.   I allowed the cut surfaces to cure for a day, then I soaked the plants in diluted fungicide (Heritage granules dissolved in a couple gallons of water, plus superthrive B-vitamin mix added to stimulate growth).   After a 10-15 minute soak,  I let the plant sections dry for another day.  Then I applied a thick paste to the cut surfaces (made up of Heritage antifungal granules mixed with superthrive).   The paste covered the freshly cut wounds and dried on. 

I let the wounds harden for 8-10 days, then applied powdered rooting hormone and planted the 2 cuttings, each in their own 10 gallon grow bags.  Next pictures show the plants with dried paste on the cut wounds, and rooting hormone dusted over the portion that will be buried.  Best growth is obtained if the caudex is at least 50% covered/buried. The initial planting medium is pure Perlite; minimal nutrient value, but it keeps the plant and roots slightly moist.  Watering is only when substrate dries.   This fairly sterile environment minimizes risk of rot, but stimulates roots to develop.  Over 2-3 months, the Perlite will slowly subside,  and rather than doing another transplant into soil (which can disturb the roots), one can simply start adding well-draining potting soil (as is used for cacti & palms) on top, slowly replacing the receding perlite.  This will mix down into the perlite over time, creating a soil-perlite mix with good nutrient and drainage properties.  This plant is obviously bare of leaves and currently dormant;  new growth may not show until mid-late summer.   Hopefully all goes well, and I also get 2 plants for the price of one! 

[Chester B]

Best of luck.  Sounds like a lot of work, but hopefully it will all be worth it.

[MarkbVet]

19 minutes ago, Chester B said:

Best of luck.  Sounds like a lot of work, but hopefully it will all be worth it.

Awww,  it wasn't too bad.  Beats weeding!!  

[teddytn]

That was cool to see the process and explanation!!!

[BeyondTheGarden]

I love how thorough this is.  It seems like people who know how to do "black magic" like this don't normally like to share their methods or knowledge.  It's much appreciated.  

How did you keep it alive for that one day plus 8-10 days?  

[Scott W]

6 hours ago, Jesse PNW said:

How did you keep it alive for that one day plus 8-10 days?  

Cycads have been around millions of years, so let's just say they "know" how to survive.

Tom Broome down in the Tampa FL area actually wrote an article that covers the same method decades ago.  He even stated that you can cut a cycad up into chunks, then plant each piece and most will form roots and grow. 

Never Throw Away a Cycad

For the ones I've done in the past I've just let the wound dry then put them in a pot filled with pool sand then placed that in a shady spot.  After a few months it will produce new roots and new growth up top.

@MarkbVet, excellent documentation and happy growing with your new cycads!

 

[Scott W]

@edbrown_IIIand I dug these about a week ago.  Used a chainsaw and sawzall to cut them up.  These are some of his triple hybrid, (Cycas revoluta x taitungensis) x diannanennsis, that he needed to move.

[amh]

Great new addition(s), the taitungensis grow very fast for me in Texas. I have a two headed seedling that I'll have to take pictures of when I up-pot it next month.

[MarkbVet]

15 hours ago, Jesse PNW said:

I love how thorough this is.  It seems like people who know how to do "black magic" like this don't normally like to share their methods or knowledge.  It's much appreciated.  

How did you keep it alive for that one day plus 8-10 days?  

When dormant, cycad cuttings are like cactus cuttings; can survive w/o root system if not in severe heat or severe wet cold.  I've got cactus cuttings that I took 3 years ago, still sitting in a box in the garage, alive and ready to be planted lol.   I wouldn't wait that long on a cycad, but 10 days is nothin'.    Just enough time to heal/harden the cut wound, then into a well draining substrate, with not a lot of organic matter to avoid fungal/bacterial growth.  As @Scott Wmentioned, coarse drainage sand would work similar to Perlite I'd think, even if not quite as sterile.   

[BeyondTheGarden]

That thing (those things) are big!  

12 hours ago, Scott W said:

.....  He even stated that you can cut a cycad up into chunks, then plant each piece and most will form roots and grow....

 

Sounds a lot like dividing the meristem of a banana.  

So @MarkbVet, to clarify, you left the roots to dry out for 8-10 days and they're fine?  

@Scott W a couple of the Cycas that you sent me are starting to lose lower fronds.  They're just drying up the way that old fronds do.  I'm assuming this is latent transplant shock, and the newer fronds are fine...  I hope. 

[MarkbVet]

@Jesse PNW  Yes, they arrived already dry (shipped bare root), and as the grower mentioned, the large root structures still visible aren't really the fine hair roots that move water & nutrients into the plant; those were lost when it was dug up and shipped.  We have to regrow those, hence rooting hormone and damp substrate until roots regenerate.  The 'roots' that are visible in the pics are just the larger structures that will support the tiny roots.  The grower recommended being sure these had dried/cured to prevent infection, after trimming away any obviously damaged or loose root structures upon arrival (a few of the larger root structures had indeed been damaged in transit).  There isn't an urgent need to get the plant moist, when it is dormant & bare rooted, and all leaves had been trimmed away.  Of course,  water would be provided sooner if the cycad was simply transplanted with soil remaining around the intact roots, and leaves still present.  

[Scott W]

11 hours ago, Jesse PNW said:

 

@Scott W a couple of the Cycas that you sent me are starting to lose lower fronds.  They're just drying up the way that old fronds do.  I'm assuming this is latent transplant shock, and the newer fronds are fine...  I hope. 

That is typical with cycads just like palm trees.  However, if the growing medium is kept to wet it can induce root rot for many types of cycads.  Being you have them indoors I'd recommend checking this and  to not water as frequently as you would your palms.

[Paradise Found]

Those are nice ones Mark,  I have hybrids of the same but not pure form.  What little I know of them is that they like full sunlight for maximum growth.  They tolerate some shade but don't grow as well.  They also love fertilizer. 

I planted a few nice looking, barerooted cycas panzhihuaensis x taitungensis from Scott back in February. His had some very healthy long roots. Not sure if I will cut the foliage back to force a new flush or just let them grow a year first. Most likely will wait. 

The other hybrid I have (for a long time) is cycas taitungensis x guizhouensis. 

Edited March 16, 2022 by Paradise Found

[amh]

33 minutes ago, Paradise Found said:

The other hybrid I have (for a long time) is cycas taitungensis x guizhouensis. 

Pictures!

[Paradise Found]

39 minutes ago, amh said:

Pictures!

Plant is 4 feet tall.  Very hardy to wet cool winters. Maybe 7b. This is just a one year flush. Stake in the ground it to keep the leaves from getting flat in a big snow storm we had back in December. 

[Scott W]

Here's a comparison pic...Cycas taitungensis on the left and Cycas revoluta on the right.  The taitungensis was barely a four inch caudex when planted and the revoluta was already trunking...

And here's those with panzhihuaensis on the far right...really hoping that one cones soon and praying it's female...

[Chester B]

@Scott W do you have a list/website of your current stock list?  Or what will be available soon?

[MarkbVet]

7 hours ago, Paradise Found said:

Those are nice ones Mark,  I have hybrids of the same but not pure form.  What little I know of them is that they like full sunlight for maximum growth.  They tolerate some shade but don't grow as well.  They also love fertilizer. 

I planted a few nice looking, barerooted cycas panzhihuaensis x taitungensis from Scott back in February. His had some very healthy long roots. Not sure if I will cut the foliage back to force a new flush or just let them grow a year first. Most likely will wait. 

The other hybrid I have (for a long time) is cycas taitungensis x guizhouensis. 

Yes I want to get (actually just bought) C. panzhihuaensis (haven't gotten it yet, it's small). ..  but haven't fiddled w/ hybrids yet.  Any thoughts/experience on vigor/growth rate/hardiness compared to non hybridized specimens?   Pure taitungensis is supposed to grow much faster than C. revoluta (and grows larger eventually).  

[Scott W]

9 hours ago, MarkbVet said:

 Any thoughts/experience on vigor/growth rate/hardiness compared to non hybridized specimens?   Pure taitungensis is supposed to grow much faster than C. revoluta (and grows larger eventually).  

Yes Taitungensis is much faster than Revoluta and as you can see is much larger than Revoluta.  With the hybrids I have performed unfortunately I cannot validate any hybrid vigor as I've never actually planted any in the ground, they've always been potted and held for sale.  However, I do plan on planting several of my Revoluta x multifrondis crosses so I may get some data on it.

@Chester B I do list what I have available on both my website and on eBay (website is in my profile).  However, I'll put up a sales thread later today here on Palm Talk for those that are interested.

[GoatLockerGuns]

I can not speak for Cycas taitungensis specifically; however, I can tell you from experience that Cycas revoluta are tough buggers.  They have survived multiple freeze events here in my yard with no protection (albeit, they did look like ass for one half of a growing season).  Also, I transplanted a very juvenile one one after it had completely defoliated from the freeze last year, and it handled the post-freeze move like a champ (i.e., came back strong post-transplant).

[WSimpson]

I need to plant mine out this spring . I got it because it is hardier than Revoluta .

Will

 

 

[Paradise Found]

22 hours ago, MarkbVet said:

Yes I want to get (actually just bought) C. panzhihuaensis (haven't gotten it yet, it's small). ..  but haven't fiddled w/ hybrids yet.  Any thoughts/experience on vigor/growth rate/hardiness compared to non hybridized specimens?   Pure taitungensis is supposed to grow much faster than C. revoluta (and grows larger eventually).  

You can get some interesting looks out of hybrids and some surprising hardiness. Most cycads love sunlight so that a must. Most like more watering in summer, but not all.  Mine only have half a day of sun so I don't always get flushes every year more like every two years.  In warm climates with long growing seasons like the S.E. can have up to three flushes a year with Taitungensis. The local c. Revoluta have died back every year but because they are in full sun they flush every July with bigger leaves than the last flush.  Taitungensis leaves are more hardy. 

[BillAndy]

On 3/13/2022 at 8:18 PM, MarkbVet said:

Just recently received my Cycad,  Cycas taitungensis,  a plant resembling the common Sago Palm, but larger, faster growing, and cold-hardier.  Should be reliable in zone 8.   The nursery source had specific instructions as to how to handle and plant this bare-root specimen, to avoid complications such as fungal rot which often afflicts bare root cycad transplants.  Also, I got a 2- headed plant, so I performed a cut-and-divide operation on it, which then leaves a freshly cut surface to deal with (and prevent from rotting).  First pics are of intact plant, followed by the 2 freshly separated pieces.   I allowed the cut surfaces to cure for a day, then I soaked the plants in diluted fungicide (Heritage granules dissolved in a couple gallons of water, plus superthrive B-vitamin mix added to stimulate growth).   After a 10-15 minute soak,  I let the plant sections dry for another day.  Then I applied a thick paste to the cut surfaces (made up of Heritage antifungal granules mixed with superthrive).   The paste covered the freshly cut wounds and dried on. 

I let the wounds harden for 8-10 days, then applied powdered rooting hormone and planted the 2 cuttings, each in their own 10 gallon grow bags.  Next pictures show the plants with dried paste on the cut wounds, and rooting hormone dusted over the portion that will be buried.  Best growth is obtained if the caudex is at least 50% covered/buried. The initial planting medium is pure Perlite; minimal nutrient value, but it keeps the plant and roots slightly moist.  Watering is only when substrate dries.   This fairly sterile environment minimizes risk of rot, but stimulates roots to develop.  Over 2-3 months, the Perlite will slowly subside,  and rather than doing another transplant into soil (which can disturb the roots), one can simply start adding well-draining potting soil (as is used for cacti & palms) on top, slowly replacing the receding perlite.  This will mix down into the perlite over time, creating a soil-perlite mix with good nutrient and drainage properties.  This plant is obviously bare of leaves and currently dormant;  new growth may not show until mid-late summer.   Hopefully all goes well, and I also get 2 plants for the price of one! 

Hi Mark, any chance we can get an update on these C. Tauitungensis?

[MarkbVet]

Sure can!   The larger piece of the two sprouted a few leaves mid summer last year (took quite awhile to form roots and then sprout).  Made it thru winter in the greenhouse, still has 2 green leaves, hoping for a lot more this summer.   The smaller plant looked dormant all summer, wasn't sure it was alive (the nursery I got it from said to give it time).  Finally, in late fall just before cold weather hit, the smaller cutting sprouted 2 small leaves.  These got 2 inches high and stopped growing as it got colder.   I thought, oh well let's see what happens in 2023...  now, as the greenhouse has warmed a bit, those same 2 leaves resumed growing!  They're now 6 inches tall or so, still shooting up.  The larger cutting is still dormant this year.   I'm hoping for a good handful of leaves from both cuttings this summer, now that they've had over a year to root in.  So both survived the separation process and transplantation, and I got 2 plants for the price of one, as I'd hoped! 

Most of my palms made it through winter, though I lost my 15 gallon Sabal palmetto (variety 'lisa' was also damaged but still alive). Also lost  my Nannorrhops ritchiana seedling,  and my Serenoa repens 'Silver'  looks to be toast as well, despite these being in greenhouse and protected from severe cold and rain.  It was wet/drippy in the greenhouse, which may have affected the Mazari palm, but I'm surprised Serenoa didn't do better.  My Brahea 'super silver' lost all but one leaf; not sure if it will pull through.  Still,  I had a lot of things survive, including many varieties of palms (some exotic hybrids) and two small Joshua tree seedlings (regular variety and blue variety).    In a couple years these all go in the ground in So. Oregon where it's hotter/drier.    Alas, also lost my fairly large Pindo palm, possibly because a clogged gutter was dumping water on the crown early in fall/winter before I fixed it.   The crown rotted out and it's gone.  

The palm survivors (with minimal damage) include :

1)Brahea armata   2) B. clara,   3) Brahea decumbens,   4)“Frankenbrahea" (B. armata X B. brandegeei),   5) Butia yatay X Jubaea,   6) the "Supermule",     7) Butia odorata 'blue form',  8-  Butia odorataX Parajubaea torallyi,  9) Chamaerops humilis- including varieties "cerifera" and “Vulcano”-,   10) Chilean wine palm- Jubaea,   11)Phoenix canariensis,  12) Rhapidophyllum hystrix  13) Sabal minor,   14) Sabal x brazoriensis ,  15) Sabal Mexicana/texana,  16) Sabal bermudana,  17) Sabal rosei,  18) Sabal uresana,  19) Trachycarpus fortunei var. wagnerianus ,  20) Trachycarpus takil,  21) Trithrinax campestris,  22) Washingtonia hybrid “filibusta”. 

Happy growing, everyone! 

     

[BillAndy]

Thanks for the detailed update!  Very interesting, and glad to hear that everything worked out as planned. 

[amh]

On 4/28/2023 at 1:49 AM, MarkbVet said:

Sure can!   The larger piece of the two sprouted a few leaves mid summer last year (took quite awhile to form roots and then sprout).  Made it thru winter in the greenhouse, still has 2 green leaves, hoping for a lot more this summer.   The smaller plant looked dormant all summer, wasn't sure it was alive (the nursery I got it from said to give it time).  Finally, in late fall just before cold weather hit, the smaller cutting sprouted 2 small leaves.  These got 2 inches high and stopped growing as it got colder.   I thought, oh well let's see what happens in 2023...  now, as the greenhouse has warmed a bit, those same 2 leaves resumed growing!  They're now 6 inches tall or so, still shooting up.  The larger cutting is still dormant this year.   I'm hoping for a good handful of leaves from both cuttings this summer, now that they've had over a year to root in.  So both survived the separation process and transplantation, and I got 2 plants for the price of one, as I'd hoped! 

Most of my palms made it through winter, though I lost my 15 gallon Sabal palmetto (variety 'lisa' was also damaged but still alive). Also lost  my Nannorrhops ritchiana seedling,  and my Serenoa repens 'Silver'  looks to be toast as well, despite these being in greenhouse and protected from severe cold and rain.  It was wet/drippy in the greenhouse, which may have affected the Mazari palm, but I'm surprised Serenoa didn't do better.  My Brahea 'super silver' lost all but one leaf; not sure if it will pull through.  Still,  I had a lot of things survive, including many varieties of palms (some exotic hybrids) and two small Joshua tree seedlings (regular variety and blue variety).    In a couple years these all go in the ground in So. Oregon where it's hotter/drier.    Alas, also lost my fairly large Pindo palm, possibly because a clogged gutter was dumping water on the crown early in fall/winter before I fixed it.   The crown rotted out and it's gone.  

The palm survivors (with minimal damage) include :

1)Brahea armata   2) B. clara,   3) Brahea decumbens,   4)“Frankenbrahea" (B. armata X B. brandegeei),   5) Butia yatay X Jubaea,   6) the "Supermule",     7) Butia odorata 'blue form',  8-  Butia odorataX Parajubaea torallyi,  9) Chamaerops humilis- including varieties "cerifera" and “Vulcano”-,   10) Chilean wine palm- Jubaea,   11)Phoenix canariensis,  12) Rhapidophyllum hystrix  13) Sabal minor,   14) Sabal x brazoriensis ,  15) Sabal Mexicana/texana,  16) Sabal bermudana,  17) Sabal rosei,  18) Sabal uresana,  19) Trachycarpus fortunei var. wagnerianus ,  20) Trachycarpus takil,  21) Trithrinax campestris,  22) Washingtonia hybrid “filibusta”. 

 

Happy growing, everyone! 

     

 

What was the ultimate low temperature that everything experienced? Also, what was the source for your nannorrhops?

[MarkbVet]

1 hour ago, amh said:

What was the ultimate low temperature that everything experienced? Also, what was the source for your nannorrhops?

Lowest was probably around 14 F...   The nannorrhops was from desertscape nursery in bend Oregon.    Couldn't find the Kashmir form which may be more cold and wet hardy... except some seeds from Europe,  but couldn't get those to germinate.   Will try another desertscape plant after I move... Possibly a larger one if they have any.

 

[amh]

3 hours ago, MarkbVet said:

Lowest was probably around 14 F...   The nannorrhops was from desertscape nursery in bend Oregon.    Couldn't find the Kashmir form which may be more cold and wet hardy... except some seeds from Europe,  but couldn't get those to germinate.   Will try another desertscape plant after I move... Possibly a larger one if they have any.

 

There seems to be a big variation on the cold hardiness of Nannorrhops ritchieana, so I'm always curious on where the palm was purchased. I have a small plant started from seed that is almost white, but I don't know which type it is or how hardy it will be. How much damage did the frankenbrahea sustain?

[MarkbVet]

On 4/29/2023 at 4:43 PM, amh said:

There seems to be a big variation on the cold hardiness of Nannorrhops ritchieana, so I'm always curious on where the palm was purchased. I have a small plant started from seed that is almost white, but I don't know which type it is or how hardy it will be. How much damage did the frankenbrahea sustain?

I had six Franken' seedlings,  all died as soon as the weather got warm and sunny, except one... it survived by keeping it in shade,   it's been in the greenhouse over winter, will leave it there in part shade and see if it adapts better to the sun this year.    I think the Mazari palm died due to moisture/humidity in the greenhouse more than just the cold, but can't say for sure.