Cycas circinalis

[Adrian]

Francis, how is your cycas circinalis doing ?
Mine has sat with leaves tied loosely together in the greenhouse all winter, from what I can see it looks pretty much as it did when I put it away.
I know yours was a nicer plant and if I had yours I would have wintered it indoors.

Im looking forward to the spring to see what we get out of them this year.

[Simba]

I'd also be interested.

I do fancy taking the next Cycad step, and that may be Circinalis.

[Adrian]

Vales had some crackers last year at something like £130, Francis found them so had his pick, by the time I got there it was down to a choice of three, mine was good but not perfect so im hoping for a big flush this year.

Simba I know you have some nice revolutas and Im not knocking them but circinalis is a class above in my book, not as hardy mind.

[Simba]

Simba I know you have some nice revolutas and Im not knocking them but circinalis is a class above in my book, not as hardy mind.

Thats exactly my point though Adrian.
I do have some very nice revoluta, they are reasonably hardy, and I have done OK with them, but I am tempted to take the next step into cycad~ism, but I am not quite sure what that next step should be......

[Adrian]

There are some amazing Cycads out there but none of them really hardy, revoluta is the hardiest but they are by no means a cert.

[Mr List]

what about that queen sago?

[Bob]

There are some amazing Cycads out there but none of them really hardy, revoluta is the hardiest but they are by no means a cert.

Adrian, a GC near me usually has some small Cycads labeled as
'cardboard cycad' during the summer. Any ideas on its hardiness, or is it a house plant?

[Simba]

That would be Zamia furfuracea Bob, and as far as I know, none of the cycads would be truly hardy here.

[Adrian]

Yes Simba has the right name for them, if you saw them you would think they are nailed on hardy with leaves more like wood than anything else but hopelessly tender Im affraid.

[Bob]

Yes Simba has the right name for them, if you saw them you would think they are nailed on hardy with leaves more like wood than anything else but hopelessly tender Im affraid.

butter, yes thats what I was thinking, the leaves feel almost moistureless (is that a word) thanks anyway, and for the name Simba.

[Nigel Fear]

Encephalartos types have a certain 'degree' of hardiness, but not for the faint-hearted, Macrozamia Moorei too, but both risky!!! cost you an arm and a leg too, for anything more than a tennis ball size.

[Simba]

Apart from Cycas Circinalis, I also have Cycas Rumphii and Dioon Spinulosum jotted down as possibles.

I know that they would be relatively small specimens, that they will be slow growing, that I will have to bring them into the conservatory to overwinter...etc

But considering all factors, what would be a good Cycad for me to try as the next step from Cycas revoluta.

[fgtbell]

Only just seen this - yes I brought it indoors. Too good a cycad to take a chance with, back in December. The combination of poor indoor light and low humidity in the house has made the ends of the fronds brown off and it looks a bit tatty. On the plus side, it is now pushing a new flush of 7 fronds - so not all bad. It will go outside again once the risk of frost has passed - too big to keep in the house, really. I brought about 100 of the smaller palms and cycads inside - just as well because a lot of what was left outside is now dead.

I have some Encephalartos, and unlike C. circinalis, they actually seem to thrive on indoor conditions - very dry air, and they are allowed to get bone dry between waterings. To be honest it's tempting not to put them outside in the summer, because they seem to actually do better indoors. As far as I know, Encephalartos are from the semi-deserts of Africa, whereas C. circinalis is from rainy mountains in Vietnam.

[fgtbell]

But considering all factors, what would be a good Cycad for me to try as the next step from Cycas revoluta.

How about Macrozamia communis ? It is cheap, not threatened in the wild, and shows a fair degree of hardiness. I have had one outside that survived to -3 or -4, as long as it is brought in or heated below that then you do have a good chance of keeping it in the UK. They are also fairly tolerant of our wet winters - for a cycad. They would still benefit from a rain shelter if you are on the west or north though. Bearing in mind that here in Bristol we get almost twice the rainfall of inland Essex - which is why a certain Mr Spracklin can keep Encephalartos planted out in his garden.

I have had more success with those than the much-fanfared Cycas panzhihuanensis, which died much quicker than M. communis.

Another one to try would be Macrozamia riedlei.

[Simba]

How about Macrozamia communis ? It is cheap, not threatened in the wild, and shows a fair degree of hardiness..

It is a very welcome suggestion, the Macrozamias are lovely, but cheap..?
The only ones I have seen for sale cost more that my car....

Unless you know of somewhere I don't know...?