Current Favorite Cycad?

[Tracy]

18 hours ago, DippyD said:

 

Looks like you mixed up a little pollen and performed a little bit of Artificial Insemination (AI).  As I recall you have some males so had the right pollen to match up too!  Congratulations, now comes the patient waiting game for the cone to mature, harvest/clean the seeds and then trying to germinate any of the sinkers. 

[Tracy]

18 hours ago, DippyD said:

D. Tomasellii 

In addition to looking at the plant, I couldn't help noticing your soil.  Looks like the ideal soil for most Encephalartos and many of the Dioons.  Nice looking girl too.  My experience and knowledge of Dioon's is limited to the most common varieties, so it's great to see and learn about some of the less common ones like this.

[DippyD]

5 hours ago, Tracy said:

Looks like you mixed up a little pollen and performed a little bit of Artificial Insemination (AI).  As I recall you have some males so had the right pollen to match up too!  Congratulations, now comes the patient waiting game for the cone to mature, harvest/clean the seeds and then trying to germinate any of the sinkers. 

Yeah luckily one of my males put up 6 male cones. And they shed before the females became receptive. 1 female plant threw 2 cones and one with 3. The 3 coner hasn’t become receptive yet. 

[DippyD]

5 hours ago, Tracy said:

In addition to looking at the plant, I couldn't help noticing your soil.  Looks like the ideal soil for most Encephalartos and many of the Dioons.  Nice looking girl too.  My experience and knowledge of Dioon's is limited to the most common varieties, so it's great to see and learn about some of the less common ones like this.

Soil conditions are key for all plants. Everything here is luckily all great draining DG. Some sections are more rich than other but high up on a hill helps too! 

[DippyD]

6 hours ago, GeneAZ said:

Among the top 3 Dioons in my opinion!

I agree gene! I only have 2, this one grew much quicker than the other and seems to be happy with its conditions. Wish i could find pollen for her. 

[DippyD]

Another one of my favorites in the garden. 

[GeneAZ]

Beautifully grown!

[Peter]

Lehmanii

[Tracy]

6 hours ago, Peter said:

Lehmanii

Very attractive form.  The leaves look more recurved than many.  Mine only has that recurve just at the tip of the leaf with the rest of it being basically straight.

I'll go to a different genus, this is the Zamia standleyi.  It's a male plant, only pushing a single leaf; funny thing is that it pushes out more cones than it does leaves in a flush.  Last coning I think i had 5 cones.  The second shot which shows how much taller this new single leaf flush will be than the prior flush of 3, has a flushing Cycas debaoensis trying to compete for attention in the background.

[Tracy]

I do just love this Cycad and now I have a couple of offspring from last year's cone.  Still waiting for this year's to start falling apart, but used the same hybrid pollen this year as last:  E horridus x woodii female with E horridus x woodii pollen.

[DippyD]

She received a second dose this morning. Fingers crossed! 

[GeneAZ]

Current favorite lounge for lizards is:  E. heenanii fuzz.

 

[Tracy]

23 minutes ago, GeneAZ said:

favorite lounge for lizards is:  E. heenanii fuzz.

I have to wonder is it the heat, the bugs or combination of both that attracts lizards to the caudex... particularly of Encephalartos.  It is a favorite lizard hangout in my garden as well.  How about a photo of the whole enchilada?  Oh and to clarify the E heenanii not the lizard. 

[Tracy]

On 9/13/2022 at 1:56 PM, GeneAZ said:

Current favorite lounge for lizards is:  E. heenanii fuzz.

 

 

Well today the lizards didn't select an Encephalartos in my garden but this one picked the Cycas szechuanensis ssp fairylakea flush as the perch of the day.

[Gallop]

Cz norstogii 

[Tracy]

As she cracks open and I have begun harvesting what I hope are fertilized seeds, there is no denying that this cone is providing as much color as any flowers in the garden.  A friend who runs a landscaping business that does tree trimming was over to look at the neighbor's Brazilian Pepper tree to give an estimate on it's removal yesterday.  When he walked through the garden this plant was what caught his eye and got him to stop in awe.  It was a combination of the plant itself and this colorful open cone, so verification that it is one that stands out in a garden full of cycads.

[Firepalm]

Beautiful Tracy! What did you pollinate it with? If the seeds pop are you going to make any of them available?

[Gallop]

I was fortunate enough to aquire “True” Debaoensis and I’m really enjoying the looks of this new leaf deveolping. I have several debaoensis in the ground and none look like this one. Those are apparently hybrids (multifrondis) from what I’ve read and been told true Debaoensis only recently came into the trade, everything else comes from a hybrid swarm. 

Edited September 25, 2022 by Gallop

[Tracy]

5 hours ago, Gallop said:

I was fortunate enough to aquire “True” Debaoensis and I’m really enjoying the looks of this new leaf deveolping. I have several debaoensis in the ground and none look like this one. Those are apparently hybrids (multifrondis) from what I’ve read and been told true Debaoensis only recently came into the trade, everything else comes from a hybrid swarm. 

Your new "True" debaoensis is an attractive plant.  I'm hoping you can share where we can read about the history of the plants that came in as Cycas debaoensis versus the true species.  When you mention that the older plants "are apparently hybrids (multifrondis)", what are the suspected hybrid parents as you only mention multifrondis?  I'm a bit confounded by the group C multipinnata, debaoensis, micholitzii, bifida (var multifrondis or species?).  In Loran Whitelock's book The Cycads, the only mention I found of C multifrondis was under the description of Cycas micholitzii, where he wrote:

"Described in 1905, it (then including C rumphii var bifida, described from a collection made in 1899 and later considered a synonym of C. multifrondis) remained the only species of Cycas known to have divided leaflets until the 1990's when C. multifrondis (= C. bifida) and C. multipinnata were described, also with bifid leaves."

At this point I've tried to match up things against the photos in Loran's book but realize that additional information is now available on many of these species since he published his work.  Looking back, I suspect that one of the plants I'm growing as Cycas debaoensis is probably either Cycas multipinnata or a hybrid of it, since it always flushes single leaves even after achieving coning size.    I'll repeat a line from one of my son's childhood friends after getting yet another substitute teacher for their math class in middle school, he told the substitute:  "I just want to learn". 

[Merlyn]

4 hours ago, Gallop said:

I was fortunate enough to aquire “True” Debaoensis and I’m really enjoying the looks of this new leaf deveolping. I have several debaoensis in the ground and none look like this one. Those are apparently hybrids (multifrondis) from what I’ve read and been told true Debaoensis only recently came into the trade, everything else comes from a hybrid swarm.

Yeah that looks like photos I've seen from Sim Lav of the "true" Debaoensis.  It's hard to tell if when they are young.  I have several that turned out to definitely be Multifrondis, and a couple that are so far staying true to Deb.  I bought a couple from MB Palms at the last Leu Gardens sale, he said that his latest batch were locally grown from hand pollinated true-to-form specimens.  So I'm hopeful that they'll stay looking like real Debs!

[Gallop]

12 minutes ago, Tracy said:

Your new "True" debaoensis is an attractive plant.  I'm hoping you can share where we can read about the history of the plants that came in as Cycas debaoensis versus the true species.  When you mention that the older plants "are apparently hybrids (multifrondis)", what are the suspected hybrid parents as you only mention multifrondis?  I'm a bit confounded by the group C multipinnata, debaoensis, micholitzii, bifida (var multifrondis or species?).  In Loran Whitelock's book The Cycads, the only mention I found of C multifrondis was under the description of Cycas micholitzii, where he wrote:

"Described in 1905, it (then including C rumphii var bifida, described from a collection made in 1899 and later considered a synonym of C. multifrondis) remained the only species of Cycas known to have divided leaflets until the 1990's when C. multifrondis (= C. bifida) and C. multipinnata were described, also with bifid leaves."

At this point I've tried to match up things against the photos in Loran's book but realize that additional information is now available on many of these species since he published his work.  Looking back, I suspect that one of the plants I'm growing as Cycas debaoensis is probably either Cycas multipinnata or a hybrid of it, since it always flushes single leaves even after achieving coning size.    I'll repeat a line from one of my son's childhood friends after getting yet another substitute teacher for their math class in middle school, he told the substitute:  "I just want to learn". 

Hi Tracy, 

I believe the easiest thing to do, to find the information your looking for is go to the FB cycad forum as this subject has been been discussed in detail there numerous times.  I think I remember noong nooch gardens having an article about the hybrid swarm and about the finding of the true debaoensis colony. 

[Gallop]

 

10 minutes ago, Gallop said:

Hi Tracy, 

I believe the easiest thing to do, to find the information your looking for is go to the FB cycad forum as this subject has been been discussed in detail there numerous times.  I think I remember noong nooch gardens having an article about the hybrid swarm and about the finding of the true debaoensis colony. 

To answer one of your questions debaoensis in cultivation is apparently a natural hybrid 
between debaoensis and
segmentifida.

Edited September 25, 2022 by Gallop

[Gallop]

47 minutes ago, Merlyn said:

Yeah that looks like photos I've seen from Sim Lav of the "true" Debaoensis.  It's hard to tell if when they are young.  I have several that turned out to definitely be Multifrondis, and a couple that are so far staying true to Deb.  I bought a couple from MB Palms at the last Leu Gardens sale, he said that his latest batch were locally grown from hand pollinated true-to-form specimens.  So I'm hopeful that they'll stay looking like real Debs!

That’s a nice one. I looked over MB palms plants last summer and there was a lot of variability in the ones he had left. You got a good one. I ended up getting a couple plants that came from seed from Montgomery Botanical garden if I remember correctly. I’ve grow many debaoensis over the years with many different looks. If you’ve followed Sim Lav’s postings you know he’s well versed on the subject.  My plant came from noong nooch seed. It’s my understanding debaoensis get large and it forms a trunk. 

 

 

Edited September 25, 2022 by Gallop

[Gallop]

33 minutes ago, Gallop said:

 

To answer one of your questions debaoensis in cultivation is apparently a natural hybrid 
between debaoensis and
segmentifida.

To clarify, I’m not saying everything is that in cultivation, anything is possible. If I remember correctly in one of the articles it states the year the type locality was found. It wasn’t all that long ago. Meaning the chance they are in cultivation is rare. Plesse take into account I’m not making any claims, I’m just sharing information that has been passed on to me by reputable growers in the trade and from what I have read. I’m just like ya’ll,  I’m hear to learn.

Edited September 25, 2022 by Gallop

[Gallop]

1 hour ago, Tracy said:

Your new "True" debaoensis is an attractive plant.  I'm hoping you can share where we can read about the history of the plants that came in as Cycas debaoensis versus the true species.  When you mention that the older plants "are apparently hybrids (multifrondis)", what are the suspected hybrid parents as you only mention multifrondis?  I'm a bit confounded by the group C multipinnata, debaoensis, micholitzii, bifida (var multifrondis or species?).  In Loran Whitelock's book The Cycads, the only mention I found of C multifrondis was under the description of Cycas micholitzii, where he wrote:

"Described in 1905, it (then including C rumphii var bifida, described from a collection made in 1899 and later considered a synonym of C. multifrondis) remained the only species of Cycas known to have divided leaflets until the 1990's when C. multifrondis (= C. bifida) and C. multipinnata were described, also with bifid leaves."

At this point I've tried to match up things against the photos in Loran's book but realize that additional information is now available on many of these species since he published his work.  Looking back, I suspect that one of the plants I'm growing as Cycas debaoensis is probably either Cycas multipinnata or a hybrid of it, since it always flushes single leaves even after achieving coning size.    I'll repeat a line from one of my son's childhood friends after getting yet another substitute teacher for their math class in middle school, he told the substitute:  "I just want to learn". 

Tracy, I sent you a pm.

[Merlyn]

@Tracythe ones in that group that confuse me are Bifida and Micholitzii, since they are both the forked-leaf shape.  There are so many "wrong" photos floating around the internet that it's hard to tell which ones are correct and which are mislabeled.

Multipinnata is relatively easy to distinguish by having twice- or thrice- or more-split side branches.  I bought the plant below from ChuckG, when it was young it looked mostly like a Deb or Multifrondis hybrid, but the last 2 or 3 fronds really started to show the side branching.  Sim and others said this was absolutely a Multipinnata.  One tidbit that might help is that apparently Multipinnata consistently throws 1 frond at a time.  Hybrids (and even pure Deb, apparently) flush several at a time.  This one is in shade, so the leaflets are pretty wide.  In sun the leaflets stay the same length, but get a lot skinnier.  Staying on topic...this is indeed my favorite cycad! 

[amh]

So, is this a real debaoensis or hybrid?

It flushes 2 to 3 times a year and will probably flush again soon.

[Merlyn]

@amhI'd guess a real Deb, though it *might* end up being Multipinnata.  What I was told is that Multipinnata will have side branches that themselves produce side branches, and from there you get "hands" of leaflets.  But all the branches and the side branches are relatively flat, i.e. not super plumose like a Foxtail palm.  Real Debaoensis have side branches with "hands" of leaflets coming more or less directly off the side branch.  They are also relatively flat in one plane.  Figure 5 is a good photo here: https://www.pacsoa.org.au/wiki/Cycas_debaoensis

Multifrondis, on the other hand, tends to look like a Foxtail palm frond with highly plumose arrangement of leaflets and side branches.  It's dark here or I could get a photo for you.  I have a couple that are clearly Multifrondis.

[Gallop]

To give you an idea,  here is a picture of a leaf of the type locality C Debaoensis growing at Nong Nooch Garden. 

Edited September 26, 2022 by Gallop

[Merlyn]

On 9/26/2022 at 1:43 AM, Gallop said:

To give you an idea,  here is a picture of a leaf of the type locality C Debaoensis growing at Nong Nooch Garden.

That looks a lot more plumose than I remember, but that's Sim's arm and leg!  I think it's the angle how he's holding it, here is a photo from a different angle.  The upper right one shows the single side branches with leaflets coming off in little hands:

Edit: Sim said at one point that the side rachis are typically up to 60cm (24") in length on full-sized fronds.  The plants with short side rachis are generally hybrids.

[Tracy]

On 9/16/2022 at 4:30 PM, Tracy said:

Cycas szechuanensis ssp fairylakea flush as the perch of the day.

The lizard is gone and I trimmed off some of the older leaves that were starting to brown on this Cycas both to give room to walk by it and allow the various flushes pushing room to emerge without getting tangled.  It has a couple of smaller pups emerging from adjacent to the father plant and it's main pup and all are in various stages of flushes from hardening off, to stretching out leaflets with the smallest are yet to unfurl any leaflets.

[Rod]

I know that the bulk of this discussion is about Encephalartos; however, here is my favorite Zamia cross:

rod anderson

phoenix, az

[Tracy]

6 hours ago, Rod said:

I know that the bulk of this discussion is about Encephalartos; however, here is my favorite Zamia cross:

rod anderson

Rod, that is the beauty of it, favorite Cycad can be any genus and species or hybrid, like you have posted.  So share a little more about this bronze flushing hybrid.  What are the parent species?

On a slightly different note, these 5 brothers (Encephalartos turneri) are looking for some eligible legal age, female E turneri cones.  They want to spread their pollen so to speak.  Exceptionally plumose and densely packed, compact form of E turneri are their preference.

[Rod]

It's a cross between the cardboard palm (zamia furfuracea) and zamia floridana.

rod

 

[GeneAZ]

On 10/3/2022 at 8:16 PM, Tracy said:

Rod, that is the beauty of it, favorite Cycad can be any genus and species or hybrid, like you have posted.  So share a little more about this bronze flushing hybrid.  What are the parent species?

On a slightly different note, these 5 brothers (Encephalartos turneri) are looking for some eligible legal age, female E turneri cones.  They want to spread their pollen so to speak.  Exceptionally plumose and densely packed, compact form of E turneri are their preference.

That's a lot of boy energy!!

[Tracy]

5 hours ago, GeneAZ said:

That's a lot of boy energy!!

It is pretty consistent about pushing out a lot of cones when it does cone.  I assume it must be normal for this particular species, but no flush this year, so all the energy went into those five cones.  I don't know anyone else growing E turneri to compare.

I've got some late season energy still popping which is surprising for here in October.  When I look closely, I can see 5 leaves total on this flush.  Not as big as I would have hoped for and far fewer than it's sibling planted in another spot in the garden, but still acceptable.

[aussiearoids]

Cycas bifida 

[Tracy]

On 7/7/2022 at 11:18 PM, DippyD said:

Here’s an update on the one… 

I was curious if yours is already starting to fall apart since the female cones you posted were a bit ahead of the ones on my Encephalartos eugene-maraisii?  I ask, because mine seems close to starting to fall apart, which seems early to me.  The gaps seem to be growing by the day now, and it doesn't seem that long ago that I pollinated it, when compared with other species within the genus.  Since it's the first time with this species, I don't know if it's early or if they just have a shorter maturation time between receptivity and the cone falling apart.

[aussiearoids]

Zamia variegata .. one of my best clones .

Also have a stevensonii flush coming .. will be a while before I can show it .

[tiburcio]

10 hours ago, aussiearoids said:

Zamia variegata .. one of my best clones .

Also have a stevensonii flush coming .. will be a while before I can show it .

zamias are very fast growers and great looking plants 

z. nesophila, unfurling colors