Cycad Stalling for Spring?

[Funkthulhu]

Just a quick question on my Sago.  She's (he?) is a nice old gal in her 3rd or 4th pot with a caudex a bit bigger than the size of a foot/soccer ball, about 9 inches/23 cm across.  Anyway, it's got that nicely pronounced pucker-point at the growth point top center which signifies a new flush ready to pop. . . 

...and she's been holding onto it for 3 months.  This is a plant that has grown accustomed to the inside/outside seasonal cycle of Nebraska.  It doesn't flush every year, but usually does and sometimes twice.  I guess what I'm asking is whether any of you have noticed your cycads holding off on a flush until a warmer (or at least longer sun) season?  I keep checking everything else but she's got no infections, and plenty of moisture; she just seems like she's waiting for something.

Here is a pic from after the plants were moved to the new house and were just brought inside at mid-fall (October).  It's in the other room now, but has a full-sun Easterly window and low winter sun hitting from the south windows as well.

[GeneAZ]

It's  a very good sign when there's lots of swelling at the apex, especially if accompanied by fuzz.  This plant is storing up energy for a spring flush of leaves.  It looks very happy nutritionally.  No worries!

[Merlyn]

Yep, I see this all the time.  I have a big Queen where the fronds started pushing downwards just before the November cold front.  The center is bulging but hasn't moved since, I bet the flush in spring will be a doozy!  I also have an Encephalartos Ituriensis that's been threatening a flush for 6 months, but after October once the sun angle means it's in a lot of shade, so it's just sitting there.  I get impatient too, but the sister Ituriensis in the sunnier spot put out 7 beautiful new leaves in August.  It's just a matter of time, sun, heat, water and nutrition.  

I almost forgot...I transplanted a 30 year old sago from deep shade into a sunny spot in the middle of 2018.  It looked kinda "blah" for several months, and the "fingers" in the middle kept moving around like it was thinking of flushing.  Then fall cold fronts came through and it sat there until April...and BOOM!  27 big fronds in a single flush!  I was impressed!

[Tracy]

7 hours ago, Funkthulhu said:

I guess what I'm asking is whether any of you have noticed your cycads holding off on a flush until a warmer (or at least longer sun) season?

Yes it is normal.  As Gene and Merlyn have observed many will do this.  It is actually preferable in many cases that they not flush when it is cold wet and rainy.  I find it is the larger Central African Encephalartos that are most likely to push a flush during winter, although I have had some Cycas species do it too.  Inside, you have protection from winter storms which bring cold, rain and wind.  Those are the worst for a winter flush because the flush moves more slowly in winter than in warmer times.  Be happy yours is storing up energy and waiting for spring!

[Merlyn]

On 1/2/2020 at 6:10 PM, Tracy said:

I find it is the larger Central African Encephalartos that are most likely to push a flush during winter, although I have had some Cycas species do it too.

Yep, an Encephalartos Laurentianus just started flushing on me around the 8th of December...I am hoping for a warm January so it'll harden off before any freezes!