Cycad - Encephalartos natalensis

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The president of The Arizona Palm and Cycad Association was kind enough to give me this plant, an  Encephalartos natalensis cycad, many years ago, and it is doing well at The Tropical Paradise. I transplanted it this spring, so I was nervous, but it sent up a nice new flush that got just a little bit sunburned, so I am satisfied. After another year in its new location, it will be fine.

The Encephalartos natalensis is a very close relation to Encephalartos woodii, the rarest cycad in the world. In fact, the natalensis is what is being used to create a cross with the woodii. But where a similarly-sized Encephalartos woodii would be worth thousands of dollars, the natalensis is fairly common. Rarity of species of cycads can mean a huge difference in value. Me, I'm not a "deep pockets" collector, I just like the way they look. Over the years, my association with The Arizona Palm and Cycad association has taught me a lot. I enjoy going to the meetings and hanging out with "the cycad guys" but I really don't see spending so much money on plants. What I spend is time, and care. I'm a web designer, and I work out of my house, so I can keep an eye on the plants.

My professional blog for BradHallArt is here.

Cycads are not demanding plants. They grow very slowly, and mostly just ask to be left alone. It's not like you have to trim the flowers off, you know - cycads don't flower! The cycad in the foreground (just under the date stamp) is a Dioon spinulosum, and so is the one just slightly to the left of the Encephalartos natalensis. The plant in the back is a Phoenix roebellini, which is a palm, not a cycad. The cycad at far left is a Macrozamia mooreii, and the cycad leaves trying to poke into the picture at the very far right are from an Encephalartos manikensis. The tiny cycad with the long leaves which is growing just to the right of the Encephalartos natalensis is a type of zamia. And that familiar-looking leaf just above the Encephalartos natalensis is a common croton, just a houseplant from Lowe's, which has survived through last winter, and now, summer.

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