Best Cycad books out there

[Jubaea_James760]

I'm trying to put a good collection of books together for cycads & would like some recommendations. I'm starting off with Cycads of the World 2nd addition by David L. Jones . I was also looking at the Identification of Indigenous Cycads of South Africa by Cornia Hugo but couldn't find any reviews. Thoughts on this book?

Loran Whitelock, The Cycads book was a top choice but OMG is that expensive! Even used is selling for over $200... Hopefully the price will come down or someone on here has an extra they're willing to sell, shoot me a PM 

Thanks,

James

 

[Tracy]

On 7/15/2021 at 1:36 AM, Jubaea_James760 said:

Loran Whitelock, The Cycads

Loran's is the only Cycad book I own so can't comment on the others.  I do like to break it out as a reference periodically and am glad I have it.  Definitely worth having if you are collecting cycads.

[Meangreen94z]

What region are you interested in? I like Australian species because they typically handle Texas summer weather better than Encephalartos.  This book has some great info and pictures of species not discussed elsewhere. I also have the other two books you mentioned. Loran Whitelock’s book has great info on Dioon I haven’t seen elsewhere, among many other things. I collect mainly Australian Cycas and Mexican Dioon. I also have a few Macrozamia and Encephalartos.

[Jubaea_James760]

11 hours ago, Tracy said:

Loran's is the only Cycad book I own so can't comment on the others.  I do like to break it out as a reference periodically and am glad I have it.  Definitely worth having if you are collecting cycads.

I'm definitely going to add it to my collection 

 

[Jubaea_James760]

9 hours ago, Meangreen94z said:

What region are you interested in? I like Australian species because they typically handle Texas summer weather better than Encephalartos.  This book has some great info and pictures of species not discussed elsewhere. I also have the other two books you mentioned. Loran Whitelock’s book has great info on Dioon I haven’t seen elsewhere, among many other things. I collect mainly Australian Cycas and Mexican Dioon. I also have a few Macrozamia and Encephalartos.

I'm particularly interested in South Africa, with Australia no far behind. I purchased Loran Whitelock’s The Cycads Africa and America's. Its a great book & my next purchase will be The Cycads Asia and Australia also from Loran. 

Thanks for the book suggestion! Another to add to the collection 

I only have 1 Cycas from Australia in my collection, a Cycas Couttsiana. I really like Macrozamia but there so hard to find in California. It seems they're not to popular or maybe I just haven't been looking hard enough...  I come across the common ones like Communis, Moorei but no Glaucophylla, Heteromera, Stenomera, Crassifolia, or My fav, Macdonnellii! 

 

[Meangreen94z]

Yeah, I’ve learned Australians are opposite of the South Africans. Blue Encephalartos do great in the Mediterranean climate of Southern California but can’t handle the heat of the Arizona Desert or the rains of the Gulf Coast. Most Australian Blue Cycas can handle Arizona heat/full sun and Texas rains, but don’t care for the mostly mild temperatures of Southern California. Being in the high desert may work out both ways. I’ve read Macrozamia can’t handle full sun in Arizona, surprisingly including Macdonnelli. Macrozamia do well in Texas rain except Macdonnelli. I had 2 of 3 rot and sold the last one before I lost it.

  North Texas Cold Hardy Palms used to have every Macrozamia you listed. They took a heavy hit in February, although I believe some of their Macrozamia survived. They seem to be lying low for right now.

Chip Jones at Cycad Florida in Fort Lauderdale has among the largest selection of cycads in America. As far as Macrozamia and Encephalartos, you name it, he has it.  He does a ton of local wholesale and direct sale, so I’ve had mixed success reaching him for mail order. When you can reach him his selection is unreal and his prices great(wholesale level). He is constantly on the Facebook group “Cycads”, in fact I think the administrator, so maybe contact him through there if no email response.

[Jubaea_James760]

What a bummer about your Macdonnellii's... Hopefully you didn't lose to much money on them. We're they seedlings?

I remember seeing them from NTCHP. I could never pull the trigger on them. Mostly because they were so expensive for small seedlings, but now that I'm in to Encephalartos they don't seem all that expensive after all  

I'll reach out to Chip, thanks! 

[Meangreen94z]

2 hours ago, Jubaea_James760 said:

What a bummer about your Macdonnellii's... Hopefully you didn't lose to much money on them. We're they seedlings?

I remember seeing them from NTCHP. I could never pull the trigger on them. Mostly because they were so expensive for small seedlings, but now that I'm in to Encephalartos they don't seem all that expensive after all  

I'll reach out to Chip, thanks! 

Yeah if you can catch Chip at the right time he is definitely the way to go. He had basically everything on my list in multiple size options, and at the best prices I had seen.