Cycad cones and flushes

[Merlyn]

Never give up on a cycad until it's mush!!!    This is a Cycas Litoralis/Edentata that I planted in the back yard in the summer of 2021.  It got 100% defoliated in January 2022 at about 26F with frost.  I repotted it on 7/15/22 because Cycas normally flush here by mid-May.  It was still firm with good roots, so I figured it had a chance.  It's lived for 1.5 years now with no leaves, but in the spring I noticed a few bumps out the side that looked like new heads.  And here's a 4 headed single leaf flush, with 2 more heads thinking about it!

And as an experiment, an identical one I left in the ground on the NE side...planted at the same time and defoliated at the same time.  It had about 12 inches of rachis/petiole still green after the cold front.  This one is still stationary...but one head on the top left side might be starting a flush!

[realarch]

Well, that gives me inspiration. Have a few that have been sitting stewing for awhile. 

Tim

[Tracy]

On 7/12/2023 at 11:37 AM, realarch said:

Well, that gives me inspiration. Have a few that have been sitting stewing for awhile. 

Tim

I have noticed that some of mine have held off on flushing a year then the next year pop their first cone.  This is mostly with some of the Encephalartos, and then afterwards they get back into a normal routine of flushing and/or coning.  I guess it just takes a lot to push that first one out!

While this Encephalartos longifolius flushed this summer, it stalled for ears with only a couple of flushes after I transplanted it from my old garden.  It's just now getting into the regular routine of flushing.

[realarch]

Boy Tracy, that’s looking beautiful. Yes a transplant might be helpful, I do it with other underperforming plants, so why not a cycad. 

Now, what have I done with those leather Mule gloves?

Tim

[Tracy]

13 hours ago, Tracy said:

 

You can see how this one was slowed down from those stalled years.  First photo below was 13 1/2 years ago before I transplanted it to Leucadia.  I planted another one in the front yard here in late 2010 which has grown much faster (2nd photo is 2012, about 2 years after planting).  The last 3 photos are a flush sequence on that one in the front yard that has been more vigorous, perhaps placement, perhaps a little genetics but the absence of transplanting is probably the biggest difference.

 

[realarch]

For lack of articulation,,,,,aww geeze, tha’s nice!

Tim

[Billeb]

11 hours ago, Tracy said:

 

Man…..that thing is yuuuuuuge! Big footprint! 
 

-dale 

[Billeb]

Here’s a couple Encephalartos post seasonal flushes….

 

Encephalartos Arenarius Green (6 frond flush) Planter under construction. 

 

Encephalartos Lehmanii Kirkwood (5 frond flush) Hard to photo because of surrounded plantings. 

 

-dale 

[Pete]

Encephalartos Longifolius 3 feet of trunk.

 

[Merlyn]

Here's a great super-fuzzy flush from a Dioon Mejiae, now with two pups!  There are 10 fronds on the main trunk and 3 each on the pups.  I bought this one back in 2019 from Tom Broome at Cycad Jungle.  It was about a 4 inch caudex at the time and has really thrived in maybe 50% sun. 

[Tracy]

The main caudex as well as two pups on this Cycas tropophylla x micholitzii are all pushing up megasporophylls right now.  This triple hitter is a first on a plant for me.

[Tracy]

A little more Cycas coning activity with plants acquired as Cycas debaoensis but perhaps better labeled Cycas multifronidis.  Both a male cone and the bigger plant with megasporophylls.

[Tracy]

Encephalartos turneri flush sequence in progress.  Looks like the new flush is going to end up with longer leaves than prior years which is a bit surprising given that it has been coning a few years now.

[flplantguy]

Well now im growing cycads!  Thanks lol. Some great photos and its nice to see them looking so good.  I love plant dinosaurs and this reminded me of why.  The botanical lifeboat needs another berth lol

[Merlyn]

@Tracyyeah the distinction between Debaoensis, Multifrondis, and Multipinnata is questionable, at best.  Both Debaoensis and Multipinnata are listed as tri-pinnate, so they have side branches that themselves have side branches that then have "hands" of leaves off of them.  Your third photo might be bipinnate or tripinnate, it's hard to tell.  The last photo looks just pinnately compound, so is probably a "Multifrondis."  I have a pair in the backyard from CBLisa through NatureGirl, originally I was sure they were Multifrondis, but this is a 5 leaf flush with side branches...

Right now it's only bipinnately compound, but it's still a fairly young plant with ~5-6 foot long fronds.  And it's in full sun, so it's much smaller than my 15' new frond on a shade-grown Multipinnata.  Whether it ends up as a tripinnately compound true Deb is anyone's guess, but it's got the plumose leaflets and overall seni-triangular frond shape now...

BTW - I like the idea of the green strapping holding back the fronds from the pathway.  I planted several Deb/Multi/Mich/Bifida right next to pathways, and just started using thin nylon rope to hold them back from the pathway.  Otherwise they'd hang over the path and would have the leg-shredding spines right at mid-thigh level...

[Sr. Califas]

Careful, she bites.

[Merlyn]

Here's the first big 3 leaf flush on a hybrid, an Encephalartos Gratus x Laurentianus.  I planted this in May of 2021 as a tiny little 2 leafer with at best a 1" caudex.  Now just over 2 years later it's got an 8" caudex and throwing 6 foot long fronds!  It's noticeably hardier than the pure Laurentianus in the upper left, taking little damage with upper 20s and frost.  The Laurentianus took 25-50% damage at the same conditions, and is growing much slower.  I bought these from Neil in Cocoa Beach (host of the last CFPACS meeting) and he made them from two plants in his yard.  In another couple of years I think this one is going to be a beast!

[Billeb]

Finally starting to see some movement from my Cycas Debaoensis which is exciting. Noticed my Encephalartos Longifolius x Princeps started pushing a frond also. Love this time of year!! 
 

-dale 

 

[Tracy]

Normally I would be watching multiple flushes on this Cycad acquired as Encephalartos dyerianus. This summer I was surprised to see this cone emerging from a caudex. Leaflets look like a longer and bigger form of my Encephalartos cupidus.   Still haven't determined if this is male or female since this is its first cone.  I am inclined to guess female but will continue holding out judgment until it is more fully emerged.  I have had this plant since it was a two leader in a 3×9 inch band pot.

[Billeb]

10 minutes ago, Tracy said:

…..I have had this plant since it was a two leader in a 3×9 inch band pot.

Tracy, Approx how long have you had this thing and what size did you throw it in the garden? Looks great 
 

-dale 

[amh]

Some new growth on the Cycas revoluta x panzhihuaensis, or as they are now being called "Cycas x panzhioluta". It's just too hot to bother taking pictures lately.

[Tracy]

3 hours ago, Billeb said:

Tracy, Approx how long have you had this thing and what size did you throw it in the garden? Looks great 
 

-dale 

Dale, to answer your question here are two photos.  It looks like I may have exaggerated when I said 2 leaves.  More like one leaf when I got it and you can see the first flush in my garden back in November 2011 while it was still in that little 3x9 inch pot.  The other photo is April 2016 sometime after planting the Encephalartos dyerianus on the far right with the Chrysalidocarpus ambositrae next to an Encephalartos nubimontanus that I planted about the same time..  These "Eugene complex" or clade seem to cone early based on my experience.  My much older and larger Encephalartos princeps and arenarius have yet to cone, and my Encephalartos lehmannii is just pushing first cones right now (both of it's largest caudices).

[Tracy]

Dale since I just posted the 2016 photo which also included the Encephalartos nubimontanus, here it is flushing with some pups flushing too.

[Sr. Califas]

11 hours ago, Tracy said:

Normally I would be watching multiple flushes on this Cycad acquired as Encephalartos dyerianus. This summer I was surprised to see this cone emerging from a caudex. Leaflets look like a longer and bigger form of my Encephalartos cupidus.   Still haven't determined if this is male or female since this is its first cone.  I am inclined to guess female but will continue holding out judgment until it is more fully emerged.  I have had this plant since it was a two leader in a 3×9 inch band pot.

You have more experience than me Tracy. Do you think it could be a possible Nubi variant? 

[Tracy]

9 hours ago, Sr. Califas said:

You have more experience than me Tracy. Do you think it could be a possible Nubi variant? 

Braden came back with Encephalartos cupidus when I sent him a picture of the cone just starting to emerge along with a picture of the entire plant.  I need to go back and review the description in Loran Whitelock's book.  Unfortunately i already.looked for cone photos in his book and he didn't include any for these likely species.  

[Sr. Califas]

Picture taken from the internet https://www.cycadmad.com/post/a-brief-description-of-the-e-nubimontanus

Described as nubi. Reminds me a lot of yours. Plus there are allegedly many variations of nubi to add to the mystery.

Did you get that plant from Sparkman by any chance?

[Tracy]

11 hours ago, Sr. Califas said:

Picture taken from the internet https://www.cycadmad.com/post/a-brief-description-of-the-e-nubimontanus

Described as nubi. Reminds me a lot of yours. Plus there are allegedly many variations of nubi to add to the mystery.

Did you get that plant from Sparkman by any chance?

Yes it did come from George,  as well as my E cupidus, a different looking plant labeled E dyerianus (it was a rooted pup), and my E nubimontanus.   A group from this clade. 

[Gallop]

 

 

Edited August 2, 2023 by Gallop

[Navarro]

WoW increíbles  todos pero este especialmente me llamo la atención sin duda ,es un Querétaro blue?

[Gallop]

On 8/2/2023 at 9:19 AM, Navarro said:

WoW increíbles  todos pero este especialmente me llamo la atención sin duda ,es un Queretaro blue?

I’m not sure if it’s Edule Queretarto or not. It flushes a grey/ bronze color and leaves are revolute. Edule complex is hard to distinguish. I’ve asked several of the experts and they are even confused. Without knowing the locality of where seed was collected it’s a toss up. I do have a few Queretaro in the garden that came from a well know collector from habitat seed. Leaves on these are extremely revolute but plants aren’t as blue. I attached additional pics of plant in question.

 

Edited August 4, 2023 by Gallop

[Jubaea_James760]

On 8/2/2023 at 4:48 AM, Gallop said:

I really like this one, is this a Dioon? If so, which one? 

 

 

[Navarro]

19 hours ago, Jubaea_James760 said:

 

Parece caputoi

[Gallop]

21 hours ago, Jubaea_James760 said:

 

That is Dioon vovidesii 

[Jubaea_James760]

3 hours ago, Gallop said:

That is Dioon vovidesii 

Nice! I have a Sonorense var bacanora which I think is the same. I've been trying to sell it but I think I might just plant it out. What's been your experience with its cold tolerance?

[GeneAZ]

49 minutes ago, Jubaea_James760 said:

Nice! I have a Sonorense var bacanora which I think is the same. I've been trying to sell it but I think I might just plant it out. What's been your experience with its cold tolerance?

Yeah, Bacanora is the same.  I like "Bacanora" as a name better, personally.  Mine have never shown any leaf symptoms in the range of 118F down to 26F.  

[Tom in Tucson]

6 hours ago, Jubaea_James760 said:

Nice! I have a Sonorense var bacanora which I think is the same. I've been trying to sell it but I think I might just plant it out. What's been your experience with its cold tolerance?

Can you tell me how the variety differs from the standard species?

Hi 108˚, Lo 75˚

[Jubaea_James760]

2 hours ago, Tom in Tucson said:

Can you tell me how the variety differs from the standard species?

I have no clue. The books I have shed no light on different varieties. Only thing I was able to find was Bacanora being a town in Sonora near the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental  around 3,000 ft. 

[Tom in Tucson]

20 hours ago, Jubaea_James760 said:

I have no clue. The books I have shed no light on different varieties. Only thing I was able to find was Bacanora being a town in Sonora near the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental  around 3,000 ft. 

I've heard of that town. Quite a few plant collectors have gathered a number of plant species from that area. Lots of cacti and other succulent plants in particular. If you happen to know where I can buy a Dioon sonorense of any type, I'd appreciate it.

Hi 109˚, Lo 77˚

[Jubaea_James760]

@Tom in Tucson, PM sent 👍.

[teddytn]

For all you cycad nuts https://www.plantdelights.com/products/cycas-taitoluta