Pictures of the best looking cycad hybrids combinations in your garden or ones you have seen?

[hinovak]

I have really been interested in seeing some of the cooler crosses some of you guys have made over the years, please share your favorites. And does anyone have a cycas diannanensis x deb or multifronds type cross? Curious what it would look like, but like all types of cycad species, so post them all. Most of my crosses are still small, but here is a large rev x deb. I have.

[wimmie]

Two years ago I got this Cycad from a botanic garden here in Holland. They wanted to get rid of it just because it is a hybrid! When they asked me if I was interested, my answer was a loud and clear YES! Cycads this (relatively) big are hard to get overhere, so I couldn't care less that it is a hybrid. I was told that it is a hybrid from Encephalartos villosus and natalensis from the old botanic garden in Leiden. Before I got it, it already made a tour along several botanic gardens in Holland where the scientists didn't want it. A sign that came with the plant read: HYBRID - DISCARD. I am very happy with this Cycad!

[tinman10101]

  On 12/9/2024 at 4:48 PM, wimmie said:

Two years ago I got this Cycad from a botanic garden here in Holland. They wanted to get rid of it just because it is a hybrid! When they asked me if I was interested, my answer was a loud and clear YES! Cycads this (relatively) big are hard to get overhere, so I couldn't care less that it is a hybrid. I was told that it is a hybrid from Encephalartos villosus and natalensis from the old botanic garden in Leiden. Before I got it, it already made a tour along several botanic gardens in Holland where the scientists didn't want it. A sign that came with the plant read: HYBRID - DISCARD. I am very happy with this Cycad!

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i love that discard sign. lol ... i know in the cycad world there are elitist but it makes sense in a botanical garden to remove hybrids.  discarding doesnt seem to be a protocol i would think a botanical garden would embrace because at the end of the day, all plants are unique because of their un-uniqueness.  

in any case, i am glad you were able to save it ... 

[Merlyn]

@wimmie great find!!!  I can understand why they wouldn't want it at a botanical garden or conservatory.  Some of my favorite cycads are hybrids, like the now-semi-common Rev x Deb.  I have about 20 hybrids out of my ~300 cycads, I'll try to get some photos to post!  As a starter, here is a new flush on an Encephalartos Gratus x Laurentianus:

[hinovak]

Those are both super awesome! Thanks for sharing guys! Keep them coming. I don’t understand the hate for hybrids, I feel like they open up a whole new world of possibilities. I find myself wanting to make all sorts of combinations. They are just now getting into the golden age of hybrid agaves, and some of those have been amazing looking, way better than either parent, I feel like the same may be true with cycads

[TropicsEnjoyer]

  On 12/11/2024 at 5:53 AM, hinovak said:

Those are both super awesome! Thanks for sharing guys! Keep them coming. I don’t understand the hate for hybrids, I feel like they open up a whole new world of possibilities. I find myself wanting to make all sorts of combinations. They are just now getting into the golden age of hybrid agaves, and some of those have been amazing looking, way better than either parent, I feel like the same may be true with cycads

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I agree that hybridization opens up a wonderful new world of possibilities for many types of plants. While I agree the “discard” is pretty harsh, in my understanding it’s a measure of ensuring that hybrids don’t get too complex/impure. Take for example phoenix palms - they’re dioecious like cycads and they’re so popular these days that now it’s probably rarer to have a pure species than a hybrid, even if its a subtle hybrid. Basically, they want to preserve purity for as long as possible, because hybrids will prevail one way or another.

At the end of the day though, you got a free rare cycad 😅.

[hinovak]

Any ideas if this is a rev x deb? Or something else? I got this small in the beginning when I knew no names and just started getting into cycads, so I don’t know for sure what it is. Has longer leaves that kind of twist up which is different from my other rev x debs. Probably next to impossible to identify hybrids because of what different traits they take on from parents. Cool plant though

[amh]

  On 12/13/2024 at 6:49 AM, hinovak said:

Any ideas if this is a rev x deb? Or something else? I got this small in the beginning when I knew no names and just started getting into cycads, so I don’t know for sure what it is. Has longer leaves that kind of twist up which is different from my other rev x debs. Probably next to impossible to identify hybrids because of what different traits they take on from parents. Cool plant though

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Did you buy this plant from North Texas Cold Hardy Palms? I purchased a Rev X Deb that looks very similar.

[amh]

I have quite a few hybrids now, most are Cycas panzhihuaensis crosses, but I have a few questionable zamias as well as a hybrid encephalartos and a few Dioon edule X angustifolium hybrids. Everything is packed into the greenhouse right now, so I will try to get some pictures this week.  I have two small Cycas panzhihuaensis X szechuanensis that are really neat.

[Merlyn]

@hinovak that sure looks like a Rev x Deb, or Rev x Multifrondis, or Panz x Deb, or something similar.  TCHP sold both.  I would suspect it is not a pure Micholitzii or Bifida because they would probably burn to a crisp in Ft Worth in the first winter.  But those are the only other two that look "similar" to yours with the split leaflets.

[Billeb]

  On 12/11/2024 at 5:53 AM, hinovak said:

….   I don’t understand the hate for hybrids, I feel like they open up a whole new world of possibilities. I find myself wanting to make all sorts of combinations. 

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A lot of the purists really hate hybrids. To get down to brass tacks….Hybrid crosses are polluting the gene pool. The more hybrids are out there, the less potential there is to create pure plants. Thus, further diminishing the species. 
 

I do love Hybrids due to the vigor of growth and super cool shapes & colors but there’s nothing like pure plants. It’s our responsibility to keep creating pure plants for the future. 
 

-dale 

[Billeb]

  On 12/13/2024 at 6:49 AM, hinovak said:

Any ideas if this is a rev x deb? Or something else? 

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Looks like Panz x Debo to me but could be Multifrondis x Debo like @Merlyn said. Here’s my Panz x Debo followed by a pure Debo. 

-dale 

[hinovak]

  On 12/14/2024 at 1:18 AM, Merlyn said:

@hinovak that sure looks like a Rev x Deb, or Rev x Multifrondis, or Panz x Deb, or something similar.  TCHP sold both.  I would suspect it is not a pure Micholitzii or Bifida because they would probably burn to a crisp in Ft Worth in the first winter.  But those are the only other two that look "similar" to yours with the split leaflets.

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Yeah, I did get them at TCHP, i figured that was the cross, crazy the genetic variation, I have 3 of them, and they all are slightly different. It’s kind of crazy growing them in Fort Worth, I treat them all like die back perennials. I have close to 15 different species, and I just burry them deep and loose foliage every winter, and they do their thing in the spring. My cycas guizhouensis flushed 4 times this season. Planted it as a tiny thing in native clay before I knew any better about how sensitive some are to bad drainage in winter. It’s huge now. That one and the hybrids are about the only ones that seem to care nothing about being in straight native clay. The rest I had to replant to get them happy. 

[hinovak]

  On 12/13/2024 at 8:35 AM, amh said:

I have quite a few hybrids now, most are Cycas panzhihuaensis crosses, but I have a few questionable zamias as well as a hybrid encephalartos and a few Dioon edule X angustifolium hybrids. Everything is packed into the greenhouse right now, so I will try to get some pictures this week.  I have two small Cycas panzhihuaensis X szechuanensis that are really neat.

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I would like to see those panzhihuaensis x szechuanensis, I bought some small rev x cycas diannanensis on here (sorry if it’s someone on this topic, forgot who I bought them off of) but they are looking pretty stellar, growth rate is phenomenal.

[amh]

  On 12/14/2024 at 7:08 AM, hinovak said:

I would like to see those panzhihuaensis x szechuanensis, I bought some small rev x cycas diannanensis on here (sorry if it’s someone on this topic, forgot who I bought them off of) but they are looking pretty stellar, growth rate is phenomenal.

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The rev x diannanensis probably came from @Scott W, he has great plants.

So far the panzhihuaensis x szechuanensis look just like equal, upright mixture of each parent, but colored more like a panzhihuaensis, I'm really looking forward to when they mature.

[hinovak]

  On 12/14/2024 at 7:18 AM, amh said:

The rev x diannanensis probably came from @Scott W, he has great plants.

So far the panzhihuaensis x szechuanensis look just like equal, upright mixture of each parent, but colored more like a panzhihuaensis, I'm really looking forward to when they mature.

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You are exactly right, that is who I bought them from. Some of these guys have just amazing stuff. My thing is trying to find unique plants that work in my bipolar climate. I have found a couple of gems. Even a few bromeliads that only need minor protection two days out of the year. But have lost quite a bit of things as well. I got lucky with a few sources of more cold hardy cycad info, and have not lost much. What area do you grow?

[amh]

  On 12/14/2024 at 7:25 AM, hinovak said:

You are exactly right, that is who I bought them from. Some of these guys have just amazing stuff. My thing is trying to find unique plants that work in my bipolar climate. I have found a couple of gems. Even a few bromeliads that only need minor protection two days out of the year. But have lost quite a bit of things as well. I got lucky with a few sources of more cold hardy cycad info, and have not lost much. What area do you grow?

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I have been happy with all of my purchases from the forum. I'm just north of San Antonio in Comal county, but due to my elevation and other factors I'm in Zone 8A, except for the past 4 winters. Because of the extreme heat, drought and cold of the past few years, most of my plants are still in containers, except my run of the mill sagos and some sabal species. The cold hardiness master data has been very valuable. Did your cycas guizhouensis experience February '21 in the ground?

[hinovak]

  On 12/14/2024 at 7:39 AM, amh said:

I have been happy with all of my purchases from the forum. I'm just north of San Antonio in Comal county, but due to my elevation and other factors I'm in Zone 8A, except for the past 4 winters. Because of the extreme heat, drought and cold of the past few years, most of my plants are still in containers, except my run of the mill sagos and some sabal species. The cold hardiness master data has been very valuable. Did your cycas guizhouensis experience February '21 in the ground?

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Nice, so not too far south of me. The cycas guizhouensis was in the ground. Now I occasionally cheat, that when I know it’s going to get like 12 degrees or colder, I cut off all the leaves of my cycads, and get a regular plastic nursery pot, stuff a towel or freeze clothe on the sides and put it on top of the cycad with like a rock or brick to hold it down. So far it’s been perfect success wise, even with a few large ones. But growth wise and happiness, the guizhouensis has performed the best out of all my cycads. It’s in straight native clay and had about a 1.5” caudex when I cut it off a mature plant I bought for a landscape project about 5 years ago. This is it now. And it’s larger than it looks in picture, the top leaves are about 5.5-6ft tall.

[amh]

  On 12/14/2024 at 8:12 AM, hinovak said:

Nice, so not too far south of me. The cycas guizhouensis was in the ground. Now I occasionally cheat, that when I know it’s going to get like 12 degrees or colder, I cut off all the leaves of my cycads, and get a regular plastic nursery pot, stuff a towel or freeze clothe on the sides and put it on top of the cycad with like a rock or brick to hold it down. So far it’s been perfect success wise, even with a few large ones. But growth wise and happiness, the guizhouensis has performed the best out of all my cycads. It’s in straight native clay and had about a 1.5” caudex when I cut it off a mature plant I bought for a landscape project about 5 years ago. This is it now. And it’s larger than it looks in picture, the top leaves are about 5.5-6ft tall.

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That is a great looking cycad! my cycas guizhouensis are still small, but now I'm not too worried about planting them.

[Merlyn]

Guizhouensis is definitely one of my favorites.  It's very cold hardy, has nice deep green leaves, and that sort of "drapy" recurved look to it.  I have three in the ground and 4 more in pots, all from @Jubaea_James760.  Here's a massively overplanted area in the backyard.  In the foreground left to right are slightly yellowed leaves of an Encephalartos Ferox, a whole leaf Syagrus Ruschiana, and an Encephalartos Sclavoi.  The Guizhou is in the center left, and the big tall one is an Encephalartos Gratus x Whitelockii.  On the right is a monster Dioon Edule cluster with about 10 heads.

I have since moved the Gratus x Whitelockii to the front yard to open up the space a bit:

[amh]

  On 12/13/2024 at 6:49 AM, hinovak said:

Any ideas if this is a rev x deb? Or something else? I got this small in the beginning when I knew no names and just started getting into cycads, so I don’t know for sure what it is. Has longer leaves that kind of twist up which is different from my other rev x debs. Probably next to impossible to identify hybrids because of what different traits they take on from parents. Cool plant though

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Leaves from my NTCHP revoluta X debaoensis.

[amh]

 left is panzhihuaensis x revoluta, center is panzhihuaensis x szechuanensis, and right is panzhihuaensis x taitungensis.

A closer look of a newly flushed leaf on the panzhihuaensis x szechuanensis.

[Meangreen94z]

  On 12/10/2024 at 4:28 PM, Merlyn said:

@wimmie great find!!!  I can understand why they wouldn't want it at a botanical garden or conservatory.  Some of my favorite cycads are hybrids, like the now-semi-common Rev x Deb.  I have about 20 hybrids out of my ~300 cycads, I'll try to get some photos to post!  As a starter, here is a new flush on an Encephalartos Gratus x Laurentianus:

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Your yard will definitely be a destination for decades to come , as long a you can keep it in place and intact. 

[hinovak]

  On 12/14/2024 at 2:28 PM, Merlyn said:

Guizhouensis is definitely one of my favorites.  It's very cold hardy, has nice deep green leaves, and that sort of "drapy" recurved look to it.  I have three in the ground and 4 more in pots, all from @Jubaea_James760.  Here's a massively overplanted area in the backyard.  In the foreground left to right are slightly yellowed leaves of an Encephalartos Ferox, a whole leaf Syagrus Ruschiana, and an Encephalartos Sclavoi.  The Guizhou is in the center left, and the big tall one is an Encephalartos Gratus x Whitelockii.  On the right is a monster Dioon Edule cluster with about 10 heads.

I have since moved the Gratus x Whitelockii to the front yard to open up the space a bit:

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So many awesome cycads! Don’t even know where to begin. Do you have any cool ceratozamia hybrids you are fond of? 

[hinovak]

  On 12/14/2024 at 8:44 PM, amh said:

Leaves from my NTCHP revoluta X debaoensis.

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Two of mine are identical to this. I wish I could show that one in person, it’s just weird, even flushes weird compared to the others, like it has a pretty decent caudex now, and still only throws five leaves, and they seem thick stemed compared to the others. I had never heard of the szechuanensis until now, cool looking plant for sure! I’m still trying to experiment with more cold hardy cycads, but that’s one plant I really don’t like gambling on. Too hard to find some of them to begin with. I still am, just trying to do as much research as possible. I really like the look of ceratozamias, but they are more demanding than the cycas in my yard, seem to really really want good drainage 

[amh]

  On 12/15/2024 at 8:08 AM, hinovak said:

Two of mine are identical to this. I wish I could show that one in person, it’s just weird, even flushes weird compared to the others, like it has a pretty decent caudex now, and still only throws five leaves, and they seem thick stemed compared to the others. I had never heard of the szechuanensis until now, cool looking plant for sure! I’m still trying to experiment with more cold hardy cycads, but that’s one plant I really don’t like gambling on. Too hard to find some of them to begin with. I still am, just trying to do as much research as possible. I really like the look of ceratozamias, but they are more demanding than the cycas in my yard, seem to really really want good drainage 

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You could have a Cycas panzhihuaensis x debaoensis, if I remember correctly the NTCHP panzXdeb hybrids looked like a shaggy version on their revXdeb hybrids. I have some small panzXdeb hybrids from a different supplier, but they appear more glaucous, apparently a lot of the Cycas debaoensis in circulation are either mislabeled multifrondis or impure, possibly a hybrid swarm situation. The szechuanensis hybrids may remain in containers, but the rest of my cold hardy hybrids will eventually go into the ground. I really like the ceratozamias, but they are hard to find. I do have a few cold hardy species.

[Merlyn]

It could be a Panz x Deb (or Panz x Multifrondis).  This is one from TCHP, bought in 2020 and planted in late October 2020:

It is definitely more "open" than the similar Rev x Deb.  Until this year it's been in a bit more shade, so the next fronds should be a bit shorter.  This one is flushing now, you can see the lime green fronds in the middle.  In the back left is a big Encephalartos Hildebrandtii, and in the back right is a Ferox double.

[hinovak]

I think both of you guys are right, saw a Panz x Deb that looked very similar to it. Kind of what I was guessing. I have a fairly interesting ceratozamia hybrid I’m going to put in the ground next season, would tell you the cross but it’s at my buddies tree farm at the moment. I have had pretty good success with several cz species surviving our cold with my cheat method, lost a couple last season due to a really wet winter. But they were in awful soil, planted them before I knew any better about how easily they rot in winter with no leaves. The problem I’ve had with the CZ. Is they seem to grow like molasses compared to my cycas. I’m not sure if that’s because they were pissed at me because of the native soil, or they are slow in general. Replanted them all this year in good stuff after I lost those two last winter, so maybe they will speed up some? 

[Gallop]

  On 12/16/2024 at 7:47 AM, hinovak said:

I think both of you guys are right, saw a Panz x Deb that looked very similar to it. Kind of what I was guessing. I have a fairly interesting ceratozamia hybrid I’m going to put in the ground next season, would tell you the cross but it’s at my buddies tree farm at the moment. I have had pretty good success with several cz species surviving our cold with my cheat method, lost a couple last season due to a really wet winter. But they were in awful soil, planted them before I knew any better about how easily they rot in winter with no leaves. The problem I’ve had with the CZ. Is they seem to grow like molasses compared to my cycas. I’m not sure if that’s because they were pissed at me because of the native soil, or they are slow in general. Replanted them all this year in good stuff after I lost those two last winter, so maybe they will speed up some? 

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Ceratozamia are steady robust growers give them fast draining soil and they will thrive. 

[hinovak]

I think you hit the nail on the head with fast drainage, the ones I replanted in good soil this spring flushed with much larger/longer leaves than years past in the native soil

[Gallop]

Cycas hybrids

 

 

[Gallop]

Cycas hybrid I made with parent plants. Seems to be a robust grower, 6 months old. Most seedlings have put up 2-3 leaves. 

Cycas  (panzhihuaensis x multifrondis) x Cycas (multifrondis x (tropophylla x micholitzii) 

[Gallop]

Cycas bifida x multifrondis 

Side note- I call all my C debaoensis- multifrondis- true debaoensis is rare and almost non existent in collections. 

[Gallop]

Cycas panzhihuaensis x taitungensis

 

[hinovak]

  On 12/19/2024 at 8:30 AM, Gallop said:

Cycas bifida x multifrondis 

Side note- I call all my C debaoensis- multifrondis- true debaoensis is rare and almost non existent in collections. 

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These are all awesome! Does the Cycas bifida x multifrondis grow faster than the straight species of either parent? And if yes, does hybrid vigor seem to be across the board with most of your crosses compared to straight species? Just curious as I was thinking maybe hybrids would be a better choice for straight landscape design plantings as far as durability and getting them to landscape size faster. Do you have a favorite of all your crosses? Thanks!

[Gallop]

  On 12/20/2024 at 4:34 PM, hinovak said:

These are all awesome! Does the Cycas bifida x multifrondis grow faster than the straight species of either parent? And if yes, does hybrid vigor seem to be across the board with most of your crosses compared to straight species? Just curious as I was thinking maybe hybrids would be a better choice for straight landscape design plantings as far as durability and getting them to landscape size faster. Do you have a favorite of all your crosses? Thanks!

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If given the right conditions many of the cycas species are fast growing. The cycas hybrids I’m growing are fast, coning size in 4-5yrs. Hybrid vigor is always a plus imo. To compare I have a couple pure C bifida and they are a good clip behind my bifida x multifrondis, they were planted out same time, same size. Multifrondis and multipinnnata on the other hand have been fast growing. The panz x tat has been extremely fast, they were planted out as 1” seedlings 4yrs ago. My goal is to create cold tolerant tropical looking hybrids, it’s a work in progress. Hard to say which is my favorite. There are a couple Multifrondis x swansong that are really nice. I probably have 6 or more in the garden and two look really nice.  With complex hybrids you’ll have a good amount of variation. 

[hinovak]

See that’s exactly what I am looking for as well, more cold tolerant cycads, and ones with faster growth. I love using them for landscape designs, but most people are not familiar with the needs with cycads, especially in my area where cold can be a problem. From what I have seen, the hybrids seem to be much better performers for most landscape applications. I’m glad you are actively working to produce these plants. Think there is def. a market for it. The clients I have planted cycads for, always end up loving them, and it soon becomes their favorite plant in their yard. So it’s cool to see that. I have several cycas hybrids, some not as cool as some of your crosses, but cool non the less. And I think ceratozamias are also a really good choice for cold tolerance, and hybridizing, but I have so far only found one for my collection. Have you messed with ceratozamia crossing at all?

[Scott W]

This is a triple hybrid created by @edbrown_III, (Cycas revoluta x taitungensis) x diannanensis.  I like it for its wide leaves.  I have a male and female, and crossed this with Multifrondis a few years back, and am just now planting these in the ground.

[hinovak]

  On 1/1/2025 at 9:25 PM, Scott W said:

This is a triple hybrid created by @edbrown_III, (Cycas revoluta x taitungensis) x diannanensis.  I like it for its wide leaves.  I have a male and female, and crossed this with Multifrondis a few years back, and am just now planting these in the ground.

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Those are awesome Scott! Really interested to see how those crossed with the multifronds turn out. Could be killer! Did I get the RxTxD offspring from you? It was something either RxD or RxTxD. Either way they are growing like weeds! Put them in a 3 gal pot after getting them from you last year, and they have roots circling the bottom.

[hinovak]

Here is a ceratozamia cross I got off of eBay, not exactly sure what it’s mixed with, could be someone on here I bought it off of. It’s growing really fast. Any ideas? Think he wasn’t exactly sure which it was crossed with, but gave me 3 possible parents. Any guessses?