a sickly revoluta

[Eddy]

I bought some time ago from ebay a Cycas Revoluta plant. It was about a foot high with deep green leaves. But some thing has happened to it. About half of the leaves have turned, first a light beige and now they are a dried up brown. The wife said I've given it too much sun and burnt it. But I read on this forum that they love sun. I have kept the soil moist, also I have given it plenty of chicken pellets. Am I doing something wrong? Or is there something I'm not doing that I should? When I get a picture of it I'll put it on this thread. Has any body else had a problem like this with their cycas revoluta? Oh! and I have given it an occasional liquid feed, but it still looks sick.

[Gaz]

Hi Eddie, Was it kept indoors over winter? We popped ours into the sun rather too quickly without hardening them off first and many of the fronds also are rather beige. Im hoping it will flush this summer and look a bit better.

If you can pop a picture up that will help, but thats my guess.

[Eddy]

Hi Gaz, that might be a possiblity. It was in the green house for a while before going out. But there wasn't any frost around since going out. If I get time tomorrow I tack a snap of it.

[Mick C]

Hi Eddie

I have bought two revolutas in the past year, a small one with only a few inches of trunk, and more recently a larger one with over a foot of trunk.

Both have behaved similarly to yours and don't look great. Personally I'm not overly concerned, I just put this down to the shock of them having to adjust to new conditions. Hopefully we can get them to flush to replace the sorry old fronds with healthy new ones.

[Neofolis]

I shouldn't worry too much, Cycads are remarkable plants. If anything happens that they don't like, they just shut down and conserve energy until they are happier. You may find that they don't flush in the first year after this experience and could just sit there with no fronds for months, but they will flush again when they are ready. They are heavy feeders, so you may be able to encourage a flush with regular fertilizer applications. You may also find that rather than flushing they decide to produce a load of pups, which seems quite common after some kind of shock. If this happens, removal of the pups will help to avoid further delaying the next flush.

[Eddy]

Here is a picture of my sick cycas as promised. As you can see it looks like it's on its way out.

As you can see, it looks like it's ready for its last wish.

[Adrian]

Scrim, you say you bought it some time ago, years or recently?
It could have suffered frost damage before you had it if its a recent (winter time) purchase, if youve had it from last summer then youll know it hasnt seen frost if its been in a greenhouse.
I dont think its sunburn from not being aclimatised properly.

Whatever happens, even if it defoliates, dont throw it away.
Never throw away a dead Cycad.

[Cathy]

Hi Scrimflicker, (sorry, but is your 'name' anything to do with windowcleaning?)

I have a C. Revoluta which I bought for £4.99p in Lydl last summer, it is smaller than the one in your pictures.
It has been in a clay pot, outside in the garden all through the winter, without any protecting.
Since spring, I have sat the pot in a saucer and kept the MPC moist. Now, it is still dark green but I have noticed that just a few individual leaflets on several of the fronds are now blonde. I think it has had tomato feed and/or maybe some of the potion from Akamba, from watering can when I have been 'spot' feeding...
I have not been able to fathom the cause, it is kept damp, so is it too wet? it is in a sunnyish spot, so is it too sunny? ...having been outside for almost a year, it cannot be shocked, surely

...Adrian, are you saying that a deceased Cycad can be only stunned? thought I should ask in case mine goes into a further decline

cathy.

[Eddy]

Adrian, I bought the cycas November last year and it spent the winter in a cold green house with only a small heater barely enough to keep the frost out. It was put out in the garden early May.
Cathy, well done, I am a window cleaner. But one who is slowing down lately. I have been thinking about loosing the 'scrimflicker' and replacing it with my name 'Eddy' since the meet at Amulree. But we'll see.
I hope you're cycas doesn't have the same problem as mine. Others (Neofolis, Adrian) have indicated that they might recover on their own, let's hope they are right

[darran]

Just to let you guys know you're not alone! I bought back a Cycas from China last December.....its has been inside the house since and a couple of months ago it started to get the odd blonde leaf(let) it now looks much like yours eddy! Im not too worried as I have read that they can be totally defoliated and still flush and other board members have backed this, so if this happens then so be it!

btw, In China they wire the new leaves to make them recurve back on themselves providing a very nice effect so I am awaiting the first flush so that I can give this method a try!

[MarkD]

I rarely find specimens that get moved indoors to outdoors, and vice versa that remains unblemished. Those that remain green and lush are those that are permanently growing outdoors or indoors, unless the leaves are old and about to be replaced by a flush.

Seems to be they detest contrasting light levels Anyway our biggest cycad was fresh green overwintered indoors but as soon as it was taken out it got burnt I quite like it now actually, it looks more like bronze leafed rather than burnt Will take a piccy when I get the chance

[Eddy]

I started this thread in a negative frame of mind, but now things are looking up. Thanks guys

[Cathy]

This is my Lydl Cycad Revoluta, not grown or changed one bit since bought last summer, except for the blonde bleaching
cathy.

[DavidF]

I don't know what you're all worrying about, they all look pristine compared to mine after its first winter outdoors

[Melissa]

We bought 2 fare sized ones many years ago and used to move them in and out every year. They didn't put out any new leaves for years, they didn't do anything, just sat there, everyone said they would, eventually

Well after 5 years of nothing, one put out a new flush of leaves, then the next year the other one did the same

They are both now planted outside on the bank, they have come through there first winter planted out and now look as if they are going to flush

Melissa