What is your largest cycad that still hasn't coned?

[Tracy]

Some cycads are known for coning at relatively young ages and sizes.  When comparing an Encephalartos princeps I have been growing for almost 20 years now to the caudex size of my other Encephalartos genus cycads, all others have coned by the time their caudex achieves this size.  That what was prompted me to create this thread.  Do you have any particularly old or large caudex cycads (for the genus and species), that just haven't coned when others of similar genus and species you have already attained that milestone?  

This specimen has been in the ground for roughly 10 years now, and was grown in pots previously, so it isn't an issue of it acclimating to its location.  

[GeneAZ]

 

 

 

 I've had this one since 1985, originally purchased as a 20 inch globe starting to go more columnar.  Now it's 3 feet of trunk with 4 branches and has been a very steady lehmannii.  The apex diameter is 22 inches, but the trunk was 26 inches diameter until the 4 branches formed.  It also has never made any offsets.  It's the same plant as my avatar.

[Tracy]

1 hour ago, GeneAZ said:

 

 

 

 I've had this one since 1985, originally purchased as a 20 inch globe starting to go more columnar.  Now it's 3 feet of trunk with 4 branches and has been a very steady lehmannii.  The apex diameter is 22 inches, but the trunk was 26 inches diameter until the 4 branches formed.  It also has never made any offsets.  It's the same plant as my avatar.

Gene, do you think that growing in a container may have inhibited it from coning sooner or it is just this particular specimen.  My roughly 20 year old Encephalartos lehmanii sprouted it's first female cone about 3 years ago at a fraction of that size.  

[GeneAZ]

They each seem to be individuals like us, with general observations that can be made with broad accuracy.

I have 4 huge eugene-maraise, all grown in containers for 30-plus years;  and 3 have cones every other year, while one never has coned since imported in 1979 and grown under ideal circumstances in 3 different people's collections. 

In South Africa it's by far the norm to find these plants growing in rocky or Boulder situations where roots are squeezed by the rocks, but protected from fires by the same rocks.

I've not been able to find a person in SA or anywhere else that has a dependable rationale for consistent cone production among all species.

They're fascinating plants.

[tinman10101]

4 hours ago, GeneAZ said:

They each seem to be individuals like us, with general observations that can be made with broad accuracy.

I have 4 huge eugene-maraise, all grown in containers for 30-plus years;  and 3 have cones every other year, while one never has coned since imported in 1979 and grown under ideal circumstances in 3 different people's collections. 

In South Africa it's by far the norm to find these plants growing in rocky or Boulder situations where roots are squeezed by the rocks, but protected from fires by the same rocks.

I've not been able to find a person in SA or anywhere else that has a dependable rationale for consistent cone production among all species.

They're fascinating plants.

This is very interesting to read Gene. Thank you for sharing your long term knowledge on this subject. I have been fascinated by all the hirsutus ex situ in the Indonesian region. Having seen many grown in containers I'd really value your opinion on the environment as well being grown in containers that could possibly cause them to delay in coning?

As of course my lack of knowledge in this species, I only wonder if there would/could ever be viable production of this species in this area by cone production.  It only seems sad to me personally that considering the rarity, the number of plants in the Indonesian region seems the most potential to have some type of successful reproduction. Please excuse my lack of history and knowledge for assuming such a blanket statement. 

Cheers

Tin

 

[GeneAZ]

15 hours ago, tinman10101 said:

This is very interesting to read Gene. Thank you for sharing your long term knowledge on this subject. I have been fascinated by all the hirsutus ex situ in the Indonesian region. Having seen many grown in containers I'd really value your opinion on the environment as well being grown in containers that could possibly cause them to delay in coning?

As of course my lack of knowledge in this species, I only wonder if there would/could ever be viable production of this species in this area by cone production.  It only seems sad to me personally that considering the rarity, the number of plants in the Indonesian region seems the most potential to have some type of successful reproduction. Please excuse my lack of history and knowledge for assuming such a blanket statement. 

Cheers

Tin

 

There used to be 16 hirsutus in the ground at UC Berkeley gardens, some of which have coned male.  So if some females can be discovered here in America,  the race is on!!

Interestingly, the original California confiscation of illegal plants stated that 30 hirsutus were seized.  So potentially,  14 more specimens from that sting are there somewhere, but not among the Berkeley plants. 

The only confirmed female I know of was Loran's plant coming from Hurter in South Africa.

Indonesia should be a future producer of these seedlings.   SA would be better source for seedlings since their TOPS nurseries received many confiscated plants from their government seizure efforts.  SA is currently and for years producing seed and seedlings of this species. 

My large specimens of Eugene-maraise cone every other year in containers, so I don't doubt that hirsutus should too, when they get some size.

[tinman10101]

24 minutes ago, GeneAZ said:

There used to be 16 hirsutus in the ground at UC Berkeley gardens, some of which have coned male.  So if some females can be discovered here in America,  the race is on!!

Interestingly, the original California confiscation of illegal plants stated that 30 hirsutus were seized.  So potentially,  14 more specimens from that sting are there somewhere, but not among the Berkeley plants. 

The only confirmed female I know of was Loran's plant coming from Hurter in South Africa.

Indonesia should be a future producer of these seedlings.   SA would be better source for seedlings since their TOPS nurseries received many confiscated plants from their government seizure efforts.  SA is currently and for years producing seed and seedlings of this species. 

My large specimens of Eugene-maraise cone every other year in containers, so I don't doubt that hirsutus should too, when they get some size.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. This is so great to hear. I do remember seeing one of maybe two hirsutus plants when I visited Loran in 2011.  Hopefully we can see this potential in the States someday as you recall. 

I am guilty of being in child like awe when hearing fire side stories pertaining to cycads or any plant subject for that matter. 

Cheers 

Tin

[Tracy]

1 hour ago, GeneAZ said:

There used to be 16 hirsutus in the ground at UC Berkeley gardens, some of which have coned male.  So if some females can be discovered here in America,  the race is on!!

Interestingly, the original California confiscation of illegal plants stated that 30 hirsutus were seized.  So potentially,  14 more specimens from that sting are there somewhere, but not among the Berkeley plants. 

The only confirmed female I know of was Loran's plant coming from Hurter in South Africa.

Indonesia should be a future producer of these seedlings.   SA would be better source for seedlings since their TOPS nurseries received many confiscated plants from their government seizure efforts.  SA is currently and for years producing seed and seedlings of this species. 

My large specimens of Eugene-maraise cone every other year in containers, so I don't doubt that hirsutus should too, when they get some size.

Do you know if Loran's Encephalartos hirsutis is now in the Huntington collection?  I haven't been up there for a while and they had not completed planting all the specimens from his collection yet.

[GeneAZ]

2 hours ago, Tracy said:

Do you know if Loran's Encephalartos hirsutis is now in the Huntington collection?  I haven't been up there for a while and they had not completed planting all the specimens from his collection yet.

I do not know.  Neither of his two plants has appeared anywhere.   The risk of theft is high, so I don't blame them for not being on public display.

[Billeb]

4 hours ago, GeneAZ said:

There used to be 16 hirsutus in the ground at UC Berkeley gardens, some of which have coned male……

@tinman10101 @Tracy @GeneAZ….the famous Hirsutus you are speaking of are indeed alive and well. 
 

-dale 

[tinman10101]

13 minutes ago, Billeb said:

@tinman10101 @Tracy @GeneAZ….the famous Hirsutus you are speaking of are indeed alive and well. 
 

-dale 

That's some nice recon photos Dale! 😜

[tinman10101]

58 minutes ago, GeneAZ said:

I do not know.  Neither of his two plants has appeared anywhere.   The risk of theft is high, so I don't blame them for not being on public display.

Tracy I was at HBG quite recently and have not seen them. As Gene stated probably for obvious reasons.