Cycad cones and flushes

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

Microcycas female cone

[PalmatierMeg]

Some of my Zamias are coning, so I took the following photos. This genus isn't known for huge, spectacular plants but is one that adapts well to my climate. What I'm not sure about is telling male from female cones.

First the native FL coontie, Zamia integrifolia

Zamia picta variegata

Zamia hybrid

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

@PalmatierMegOnly male cone of the bunch is the coontie. 

[Tracy]

5 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Zamia picta variegata

I tried with one of these a few years back but failed.  Seeing the nice variegation on yours makes me consider trying again.  Now that I think about it, it was at my old house too, so added motivation to try it in the new garden.  As you point out, many of these Zamias stay small so don't take up a lot of room.  I've kept most of mine in pots, with only a couple of the easier ones in the ground.  Thanks for sharing!

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

Here's one not seen often. Macrozamia pauli-g cone. 

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

Macrozamia miquelli female cones

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

Zamia pygmaea female cone. 

[JubaeaMan138]

Looking forward to this little guy! Encephalartos longifolius blunt fishtail already showing the traits !

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

Lots of dioon cones! This female had over 7 cones on her!!!

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

And now for the total opposite and a complete shock!! Here is a dioon edule queretero blue CONING in a 3 gallon pot. I also have a picture of a 7g edule with a female cone as well. Caudex on the male is roughly 5" and the female is 7". 

 

[Josh-O]

7 hours ago, JubaeaMan138 said:

Looking forward to this little guy! Encephalartos longifolius blunt fishtail already showing the traits !

Nice Chris... but, typical seedling leaf points at this stage. it wont show the blunt tip until puberty or maturity. U still have many years to go. Also it may not go blunt. no guarantee since longys are so variable. I hope it does  

[Josh-O]

2 minutes ago, TexasColdHardyPalms said:

And now for the total opposite and a complete shock!! Here is a dioon edule queretero blue CONING in a 3 gallon pot. I also have a picture of a 7g edule with a female cone as well. Caudex on the male is roughly 5" and the female is 7". 

very nice J!!!

 

[Josh-O]

longy female boosting. not sure what I'm gonna pollinate it with just yet. maybe true blus aranarius???

[5150cycad]

14 hours ago, Josh-O said:

Nice Chris... but, typical seedling leaf points at this stage. it wont show the blunt tip until puberty or maturity. U still have many years to go. Also it may not go blunt. no guarantee since longys are so variable. I hope it does  

It’s a great looking seedling but I agree with Josh that traits of blunt tip don’t usually show till they get a little bit bigger. Based on the parentage I am sure there is a highly likely chance they will. Time will telll. 

[yeye]

Wouah! A mature specimen mz pauli guielmii in cone and in the ground !!! Congrats Joseph !!

 

[Tracy]

On 9/13/2018, 7:09:57, Palm Tree Jim said:

Anyone else in Southern CA getting some late flushing?

I have about 6 cycads flushing that normally do not this time of year.

Maybe the heat wave we have back in July?

By the way, I'm not complaining here.....a flush is always a great thing!

I'm not complaining either... the second flush this year on one of my Encephalartos whitlockii x sclavoi hybrids.  It is still a young plant, so it will be interesting seeing which of it's parents this one decides to favor as it matures.

[Palm Tree Jim]

9 hours ago, Tracy said:

I'm not complaining either... the second flush this year on one of my Encephalartos whitlockii x sclavoi hybrids.  It is still a young plant, so it will be interesting seeing which of it's parents this one decides to favor as it matures.

Interesting hybrid. 

Are you fertilizing your cycads?

 

[Tracy]

7 hours ago, Palm Tree Jim said:

Are you fertilizing your cycads?

I have fertilized them.  In the past I was using an Osmocote slow release product that I could buy in 50# bags at a local Ag supply chain.  This last time I was lazy and just used the same product I use on palms:  Simplot/Best  13-5-8 Palm Plus Fertilizer - 50 lb. Bag.

[JubaeaMan138]

10 minutes ago, Tracy said:

I have fertilized them.  In the past I was using an Osmocote slow release product that I could buy in 50# bags at a local Ag supply chain.  This last time I was lazy and just used the same product I use on palms:  Simplot/Best  13-5-8 Palm Plus Fertilizer - 50 lb. Bag.

I switched to a high nitrogen turf fertilizer made by Arizona’s best that some collectors told

me about. I have definetly seen a improvement on how big of a flush I get and multiple flushes . 

For example I had several encephalartos and dioons that sat still for year or more after I planted them and did absolutely nothing . With in a few weeks of applying that fertilizer all of those plants flushed and nice flushes to . My encephalartos whitelockii x sclavoi was one of those that did nothing now it has a nice flushing popping through as we speak 

[Tracy]

5 minutes ago, JubaeaMan138 said:

My encephalartos whitelockii x sclavoi was one of those that did nothing

The E whitelockii x slavoi  pictured above is on it's 3rd flush since planting it.  First was last August, again in late winter, and now as Autumn arrives, so I can't complain about this one.  When you get a chance, please share what the name of the actual turf product is and the breakdown or post a pic of the bag.  Sounds like it's working well for you.  I do have a problem spot (which I've posted before), where I battle droppings from my neighbor's Brazilian Pepper tree.  I have a pair of E sclavoi's and a longifolius in that area that have stalled for a couple of years now.  The longifolius flushed once after I transplanted it, but had stalled a bit in my Carlsbad garden previously due to a decrease in sun exposure.  My neighbor decided to plant a hedge along the yard border a few year's after I had planted cycads on the slope below his yard.  It was shade city, which the Cycas I have endured, but the Encephalartos had to be pulled.  Would love to get those transplants going again, and have tried several things including replacing soil around them that I felt might be contaminated by all the little red pepper droppings.  Dang those trees are a nightmare!

[JubaeaMan138]

Here it is I found mine at a irrigation supply warehouse by my home 

[Josh-O]

My female  encephalartos' keeled leaf form' eugene is pushing a massive new flush

[Josh-O]

Just finished my new Mac Mac colony. Busted my but on this planting.. I've been planting  like mad this fall... more to come

[PalmatierMeg]

Looking great, Josh.

[Palm Tree Jim]

Well done Josh.

Need to visit soon and get lunch.

[palmsnbananas]

14 hours ago, Josh-O said:

Just finished my new Mac Mac colony. Busted my but on this planting.. I've been planting  like mad this fall... more to come

Whoa Mama!!!!

[Josh-O]

11 hours ago, Palm Tree Jim said:

Well done Josh.

Need to visit soon and get lunch.

and a beer. Come by anytime Jim. I'm full time now at the nursery

[Josh-O]

5 hours ago, palmsnbananas said:

Whoa Mama!!!!

a labor of love

[Brett in Mission Viejo]

16 minutes ago, Josh-O said:

a labor of love

Pictures don't do it justice. It is incredible in person!!

[5150cycad]

Although common I thought this was a very nice looking flush. Encephalartos Manikensis

[5150cycad]

I planted this little macrozamia macdonnellii earlier this summer and it didn’t move a bit. Finally, late in the season, it pushed out its first leaf. Glad to see that it finally looks happy and is showing some great color. 

[GeneAZ]

2 hours ago, 5150cycad said:

Although common I thought this was a very nice looking flush. Encephalartos Manikensis

That much vigor is always exciting!  Also, well grown plants are beautiful, even if common.  A beautiful E. villosus is also a lovely sight!

[Josh-O]

On 10/8/2018, 6:00:16, Brett in Mission Viejo said:

Pictures don't do it justice. It is incredible in person!!

Thanks for coming By. Always fun to visit with you

[JubaeaMan138]

Whitelockii x sclavoi

[Tracy]

20 hours ago, JubaeaMan138 said:

Whitelockii x sclavoi

This is proving to be a vigorous grower.  I have used a pair to obscure a block wall, and both are pushing second flushes for 2018.  Leaves seem to show a lot of E whitlockii on this latest flush.

[edbrown_III]

salute ---- always a blessed event ----I didnt get any Encephalartos coning until about 3 years ago -------after 30 years but I live in a marginal climate and had to grow them under shade -------I get excited every time I go out there     salute 

 

[PalmatierMeg]

Nearly 2 weeks ago I found this cute little Dioon at the Palm Beach sale. It caught my eye because each frond was lime green with a vibrant gold rachis. It was tagged "Dioon edule" and when I told the seller it looked different from garden variety Dioon edules he just shrugged. For now, I'm calling it "Dioon edule 'Golden Rachis'." Can anyone tell me what it might be or whether I'm just seeing things. Its a pretty plant and I'm glad I got it.

Dioon edule 'Golden Rachis'

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

@PalmatierMeg That's just a regular Edule.  From what I remember you lucked out on your last Edule purchase and scored a Queretaro or Jacala or Rio Verde, which are much more attractive IMO.

[Firepalm]

Late season flush on my whitelockii x sclavoi

 

[Firepalm]

Same plant up close