A new flush on an Encephalartos natalensis cycad

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It's the third week of November here in Glendale, Arizona, and this morning I am seeing the first signs of a gentle frost. The morning temperatures are now getting below 40 F, which is perfectly normal for this time of year. What isn't normal is what appears to be a new flush on my cycad Encephalartos natalensis. Actually, it seems to be just one leaf, and it has been at this point for about a week. I've never seen a cycad do this.

I did move this natalensis earlier this year, away from where the old palo brea was, which was removed a couple of months ago, and that is the only thing that I can account for it. Normally, the cycads in The Tropical Paradise flush (that is, put out new leaves) only in spring and early summer, which here at latitude 33.538N, is April and May. By June here it is brutally hot, getting up into the 100s F. So, when summer sets in, I expect to see no more flushes until the following spring.

But this cycad seems to be confused about the time of year. Maybe it thinks it's back home in South Africa!

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