Best Cycad for wet 8A

[MrTropical]

On 8/9/2022 at 10:40 AM, knikfar said:

You know I'm in Raleigh, zone 7b, and I've planted multiple regular Revoluta in my yard. The ice storm burned their fronds this past winter but I cut them all off in the spring and they all pushed out new fronds. I've purchased most of these off the sad house plant cart at Lowes. And I never go to Lowes without first seeing if a sago needs to be rescued from that cart first. 

Fellow North Carolinian here. Glad to hear that your saving a Sago when you can, lol. Never really thought they could survive in Raleigh, but that's awesome to hear. I wonder if they would have a chance in the mountains with protection. 

Edited August 12, 2022 by MrTropical

[knikfar]

1 hour ago, MrTropical said:

Fellow North Carolinian here. Glad to hear that your saving a Sago when you can, lol. Never really thought they could survive in Raleigh, but that's awesome to hear. I wonder if they would have a chance in the mountains with protection. 

You'll never know until you try. Right? 

[MrTropical]

49 minutes ago, knikfar said:

You'll never know until you try. Right? 

Very true. I just hope we don't get a repeat of 2015 or 2018 anytime soon. Both were years for the history books up here. 

[knikfar]

On 8/12/2022 at 5:09 PM, MrTropical said:

Very true. I just hope we don't get a repeat of 2015 or 2018 anytime soon. Both were years for the history books up here. 

They were here in Raleigh to. Not sure about 2015 but 2018. And areas further east had the lowest temps with lows of 0f and a week below freezing. And sagos recovered there. The trick might just be having them be well established before having to experience something like that. 

[MrTropical]

1 hour ago, knikfar said:

They were here in Raleigh to. Not sure about 2015 but 2018. And areas further east had the lowest temps with lows of 0f and a week below freezing. And sagos recovered there. The trick might just be having them be well established before having to experience something like that. 

Oh wow. That's very interesting. Glad to hear they recovered. 

In the mountains during early 2015, we had lows between -1F and -3F for almost a week straight. Some of the coldest temperatures in the last 50 years for the northern NC mountains. I remember seeing several dead Crape Myrtles afterwards in my neighborhood that had been there for decades.

I do know that the Appalachian Mountains tend to shield the rest of the state from extreme lows, so maybe that came into play in 2015.

2018 was definitely worse for us though, in terms of the snow and ice that came with the low temps that year. Recorded 27 inches of snow at my house during the early December 2018 snowstorm. First big snow I've gotten to see up here that all the older folks said used to be quite the commonplace for the area.

We'll see how this winter turns out, lol. Last winter was fairly mild for us here in the mountains. 

[knikfar]

1 hour ago, MrTropical said:

Oh wow. That's very interesting. Glad to hear they recovered. 

In the mountains during early 2015, we had lows between -1F and -3F for almost a week straight. Some of the coldest temperatures in the last 50 years for the northern NC mountains. I remember seeing several dead Crape Myrtles afterwards in my neighborhood that had been there for decades.

I do know that the Appalachian Mountains tend to shield the rest of the state from extreme lows, so maybe that came into play in 2015.

2018 was definitely worse for us though, in terms of the snow and ice that came with the low temps that year. Recorded 27 inches of snow at my house during the early December 2018 snowstorm. First big snow I've gotten to see up here that all the older folks said used to be quite the commonplace for the area.

We'll see how this winter turns out, lol. Last winter was fairly mild for us here in the mountains. 

Wow. I didn't know all of that. With that info, I doubt you'll be able to grow a sago without protection. But, it takes them a LOOOOONG time to get big so they're pretty easy to protect. If I were you and I had a spot right up against the house, preferably with overhead cover, that's where I'd plant one. If you see extreme weather coming, just wrap with incandescent Christmas lights and cover with a trash can. If you're willing to do that, I think you'll be able to keep one growing for a long time. 

[MrTropical]

1 hour ago, knikfar said:

Wow. I didn't know all of that. With that info, I doubt you'll be able to grow a sago without protection. But, it takes them a LOOOOONG time to get big so they're pretty easy to protect. If I were you and I had a spot right up against the house, preferably with overhead cover, that's where I'd plant one. If you see extreme weather coming, just wrap with incandescent Christmas lights and cover with a trash can. If you're willing to do that, I think you'll be able to keep one growing for a long time. 

I would never be able to leave a Sago unprotected here. It would be dead within a month of the start of winter, lol. 

I will keep that in mind if I decide to buy and plant one. Thanks for that. 

[D Palm]

In the Southeast, if a Sabal or Pindo can survive…then Sago Palm is definitely worth a try. I dig sprouts out of my yard, pot, sale a year later. Cycads are awesome!

[knikfar]

9 hours ago, D Palm said:

In the Southeast, if a Sabal or Pindo can survive…then Sago Palm is definitely worth a try. I dig sprouts out of my yard, pot, sale a year later. Cycads are awesome!

Even though my largest revoluta had all of its fronds burned this past winter, it's put out several flushes and it has a pup coming up out of the bottom.

[teddytn]

On 8/12/2022 at 1:39 PM, MrTropical said:

Fellow North Carolinian here. Glad to hear that your saving a Sago when you can, lol. Never really thought they could survive in Raleigh, but that's awesome to hear. I wonder if they would have a chance in the mountains with protection. 

Plant delights has a few different species that have been in the ground in Raleigh for years with no protection. Say the fronds get zapped every winter, cut them in spring and they will push a new set reliably every year. 

[ZPalms]

Noticed my cycad has developed some white bits on it, I'll have to take a photo when it's light out but I also saw a infestation of catipillers on a leaf that I sprayed a bunch of neem oil on

Edited August 21, 2022 by ZPalms

[ZPalms]

On 8/21/2022 at 3:34 AM, ZPalms said:

Noticed my cycad has developed some white bits on it, I'll have to take a photo when it's light out but I also saw a infestation of catipillers on a leaf that I sprayed a bunch of neem oil on

Is this a type of scale or something? How do I treat this?

[JohnAndSancho]

On 8/15/2022 at 12:57 PM, knikfar said:

Wow. I didn't know all of that. With that info, I doubt you'll be able to grow a sago without protection. But, it takes them a LOOOOONG time to get big so they're pretty easy to protect. If I were you and I had a spot right up against the house, preferably with overhead cover, that's where I'd plant one. If you see extreme weather coming, just wrap with incandescent Christmas lights and cover with a trash can. If you're willing to do that, I think you'll be able to keep one growing for a long time. 

There's a bunch here that survived Texas Palmageddon. I'm between Houston and Dallas. None of them were protected and I'm not even sure that being near buildings helped because all the buildings were cold and had no power for days. 

[teddytn]

34 minutes ago, ZPalms said:

Is this a type of scale or something? How do I treat this?

Spray bottle of insecticidal soap from lowes and an old toothbrush has worked wonders for me when I’ve needed it. Definitely have to give it a few applications, sometimes quite a few every couple days and just keep an eye on it. Never had any trouble with it hurting palms, never used it on a cycad though

[ZPalms]

8 minutes ago, teddytn said:

Spray bottle of insecticidal soap from lowes and an old toothbrush has worked wonders for me when I’ve needed it. Definitely have to give it a few applications, sometimes quite a few every couple days and just keep an eye on it. Never had any trouble with it hurting palms, never used it on a cycad though

Thanks! I have both of those things so I'll give that a try 

[ZPalms]

On 8/23/2022 at 6:09 PM, teddytn said:

Spray bottle of insecticidal soap from lowes and an old toothbrush has worked wonders for me when I’ve needed it. Definitely have to give it a few applications, sometimes quite a few every couple days and just keep an eye on it. Never had any trouble with it hurting palms, never used it on a cycad though

This seemed to work well, I had to reapply because everytime the soap dried I would see some I missed but overall better to have a couple than tons! I'll keep doing this until I see no more! 

[ZPalms]

Cycas revoluta x multifrondis is about to push a new leaf again, super exciting 

Edited August 25, 2022 by ZPalms

[jimmyt]

On 6/14/2022 at 2:29 PM, knikfar said:

Cycas Taitungensis is like a larger version of a Revoluta. But they're hardier than Revoluta. And they like sun to. 

I have a taitungensis in the ground for several years here in Cen-Tex.  I survived the Palmegeddon freeze last year where a larger revoluta was killed.   Temps were below freezing for a week straight and my low temperature was minus 2 F.  I am in the border zone of 8a-8b.  It froze back to the ground but flushed back out in the summer.  I was surprised.  Both cycads had winter protection.

[ZPalms]

On 8/24/2022 at 9:01 PM, ZPalms said:

Cycas revoluta x multifrondis is about to push a new leaf again, super exciting 

🥳

[ZPalms]

Went to see the washie today but decided to share this here with more pictures, such a large revoluta.

The Mountain Dew can I found sitting in a hole I used to show scale

Edited August 31, 2022 by ZPalms

[ZPalms]

New leaf!!!! 😍

[knikfar]

On 8/30/2022 at 9:20 PM, ZPalms said:

Went to see the washie today but decided to share this here with more pictures, such a large revoluta.

The Mountain Dew can I found sitting in a hole I used to show scale

The revoluta's have been hardy here in Raleigh for many years, especially in a well selected microclimate. The fronds will burn during most winters but they just sprout new ones the following growing season. So if they're hardy enough for Raleigh, they should certainly be hardy enough for you since you're slightly warmer. 

[Gallop]

panzi x multfrondis is also a good choice for wet and cold conditions.

[ZPalms]

7 hours ago, knikfar said:

The revoluta's have been hardy here in Raleigh for many years, especially in a well selected microclimate. The fronds will burn during most winters but they just sprout new ones the following growing season. So if they're hardy enough for Raleigh, they should certainly be hardy enough for you since you're slightly warmer. 

These dudes here haven't had their fronds burnt off for the time I've been passing by them, They are so used to the climate in this area since they've been here for so long time and I wish these would get pollenated so I could get some seeds! 

[N8ALLRIGHT]

3 hours ago, ZPalms said:

These dudes here haven't had their fronds burnt off for the time I've been passing by them, They are so used to the climate in this area since they've been here for so long time and I wish these would get pollenated so I could get some seeds! 

There's got to be pups on that thing...

Just saying 😉

[ZPalms]

6 minutes ago, N8ALLRIGHT said:

There's got to be pups on that thing...

Just saying 😉

I'd be scared to even try and take anything from it and I don't know how, I love that it's just growing and doing it's thing without human interaction 

[ZPalms]

If I’m right I think they are about to finally send their first new flushes of this year I think

[Palm Man]

There is a very large and old Cycas taitungensis at Adventure Landing on Capital Boulevard in Raleigh. It has a 6' or so trunk. Most, or at least many, winters it defoliates but puts out new fronds early each Spring. 

 

 

[ZPalms]

32 minutes ago, Palm Man said:

There is a very large and old Cycas taitungensis at Adventure Landing on Capital Boulevard in Raleigh. It has a 6' or so trunk. Most, or at least many, winters it defoliates but puts out new fronds early each Spring. 

 

 

I just looked it up, I wish I could see it not pruned, I bet it looks amazing with a bunch of fronds

[amh]

3 minutes ago, ZPalms said:

I just looked it up, I wish I could see it not pruned, I bet it looks amazing with a bunch of fronds

A C. taitungensis of that size in public must be a sight to see.

[Palm Man]

Here is a photo of the Cycas taitungensis at Adventure Landing from back in 2016. 

[ZPalms]

3 hours ago, Palm Man said:

Here is a photo of the Cycas taitungensis at Adventure Landing from back in 2016. 

Woah!!!!  Makes me want a pure taitungensis

Amazing! 😍

[amh]

5 hours ago, Palm Man said:

Here is a photo of the Cycas taitungensis at Adventure Landing from back in 2016. 

 

2 hours ago, ZPalms said:

Woah!!!!  Makes me want a pure taitungensis

Amazing! 😍

Cycas revoluta is a wonderful plant, but Cycas taitungensis is just so much more robust.

[Palm Man]

Cycas taitungensis is a much faster grower too. It will flush at least 2 times each year, and if fed well can probably flush 3 times here in NC. 

[Turtlesteve]

The main benefit to taitungensis and panzihuaensis over revoluta is that both of them reliably flush new leaves in early spring (late February to March) here in South Carolina.  C. revoluta often will not flush new leaves until late April or May, which means in years with bad freezes (like this one) they spend 4-5 months of the year brown.  

[Gallop]

My Cycas taitungensis just flushed. Leaves burned this winter. The winters the leaves burn I trim off and the cycas rebounds with a nice flush in no time.

[mnorell]

6 hours ago, Turtlesteve said:

The main benefit to taitungensis and panzihuaensis over revoluta is that both of them reliably flush new leaves in early spring (late February to March) here in South Carolina.  C. revoluta often will not flush new leaves until late April or May, which means in years with bad freezes (like this one) they spend 4-5 months of the year brown.  

That's an interesting point you make. When I was living in Natchez, Mississippi (chilly 9a), I noticed that there was really no difference in leaf-hardiness between C. revoluta, C. panzhihuaensis and C. taitungensis. The leaves on all of these fried in the low 20s and a new flush would follow in spring. I was always scratching my head over the claims of greater cold-hardiness for these as compared to C. revoluta. I never thought to observe this trait you mention. And a very valid one!

[ZPalms]

Just now, amh said:

 

Cycas revoluta is a wonderful plant, but Cycas taitungensis is just so much more robust.

I have Cycas revoluta x taitungensis, I’m so curious what the growth speed will be for it, I have a feeling it won’t flush until April 😭

[ZPalms]

When is a good time to fertilize a cycad? And how much do y’all give if they are in pot and is it based on size?

[Gallop]

7 hours ago, ZPalms said:

I have Cycas revoluta x taitungensis, I’m so curious what the growth speed will be for it, I have a feeling it won’t flush until April 😭

Cycas crossed with Tat are robust and fast. My Panzi x Tat flush twice a year. 

Edited March 8, 2023 by Gallop