Large Cycad at CMC

[DAVEinMB]

Conway Medical Center, Conway SC. I know very little about cycads so not sure the type but sagos are common around here so that'd be my guess. Has about 3.5' of trunk maybe 14" in diameter. Def a beaut

[Reyes Vargas]

That is definitely a sago.  Nice one at that.

[Laaz]

Cycas revoluta. You can get these free if you keep your eyes open. The two extra large ones I have in the front yard were from someone cutting theirs down. They root very easy, just dig a hole drop them in & keep them well watered.

[DAVEinMB]

2 hours ago, Laaz said:

Cycas revoluta. You can get these free if you keep your eyes open. The two extra large ones I have in the front yard were from someone cutting theirs down. They root very easy, just dig a hole drop them in & keep them well watered.

Eh I'm not really a fan, that one just happened to catch my eye. Between how poisonous they are and how ugly they can start looking depending on where they sucker I'd rather keep them off the yard's guest list 

[rprimbs]

On 7/1/2021 at 10:42 PM, DAVEinMB said:

Conway Medical Center, Conway SC. I know very little about cycads so not sure the type but sagos are common around here so that'd be my guess. Has about 3.5' of trunk maybe 14" in diameter. Def a beaut

If that's a Cycas revoluta than it is a truly beautiful specimen.  The way the leaves are curved reminds me of some of Australian cycads -- which tend to be blue.

 

[SeanK]

Given the fuzz, I'd guess C.taitangensis.

[Tracy]

On 7/1/2021 at 10:42 PM, DAVEinMB said:

 

 

On 7/4/2021 at 4:18 PM, SeanK said:

Given the fuzz, I'd guess C.taitangensis.

The leaflets or pinnae look pretty long on the new flush for Cycas revoluta, but the lower hardened off leaves look more typical of Cycas revoluta.  Normally with Cycas taitungensis, it is the longer leaves as opposed to pinnae or leaflets that helps distinguish them from C revoluta.  The C taitungensis do have a little more fuzz and from what I have seen when the caudex is smaller tends to be a little darker fuzz than on a typical Cycas revoluta.   It would be interesting to see what the flush looks like in it's hardened off state, and a close up of the caudex near the most recent flush will help clarify if SeanK's suggestion is accurate.

 

On 7/3/2021 at 9:45 AM, DAVEinMB said:

Eh I'm not really a fan, that one just happened to catch my eye. Between how poisonous they are and how ugly they can start looking depending on where they sucker I'd rather keep them off the yard's guest list 

There are plenty of poisonous plants that people grow as ornamentals, the key is not to eat it or let your pets chew on it..  Bad habits for dogs to be chewing on any of your plants and the armed leaves of many cycads are a significant deterrent so by just removing old cones and seeds before they drop many animals and cycads can thrive together in the same yard without fear.  Pups/suckers can be removed to keep them looking more formal if that is the desire.  While I understand you aren't a fan, clearly this one did catch your eye so I just wanted to make a positive case for how to work with your eye as opposed to outright rejecting it.

[DAVEinMB]

On 7/6/2021 at 5:26 PM, Tracy said:

There are plenty of poisonous plants that people grow as ornamentals, the key is not to eat it or let your pets chew on it..  Bad habits for dogs to be chewing on any of your plants and the armed leaves of many cycads are a significant deterrent so by just removing old cones and seeds before they drop many animals and cycads can thrive together in the same yard without fear.  Pups/suckers can be removed to keep them looking more formal if that is the desire.  While I understand you aren't a fan, clearly this one did catch your eye so I just wanted to make a positive case for how to work with your eye as opposed to outright rejecting it.

It's not super cut and dry because I have seen some that have really caught my eye, like this one. But I find myself only really appreciating like 1 out of 20 that I come across. I'm sure at some point I'll have one somewhere in my yard, just not leaping at the opportunity at the moment. I was against having agave as part of the landscaping but now I have 2 so things change. 

On a side note (and in concert with your point) I have to post a few of the bigger sagos I've come across recently, definitely eye catchers