Macrozamia moorei cycad in The Tropical Paradise

Among the many cycads that "won't grow here" is a Macrozamia. I've had this one here for about six years and it's doing fine. It requires no special care, just the usual good drainage and afternoon shade that most cycads like here in the desert. This is the a Macrozamia mooreii, the most common one.

By the way, to clarify all of this terminology, mooreii is the species. Macrozamia is the genus, and the family is Cycadaceae, which is what all cycads are. If you are going to collect cycads, you are going to have to get used to using Latin. I tell people that it's not difficult - you were doing it as a kid when you talked about dinosaurs - like Tyrannosaurus rex, or Triceratops. Don't worry about mispronouncing it, no one really knows how to pronounce Latin, anyway. As a general rule, here in the states we tend to pronounce the "c" in Latin as soft, like an "s". In England, Australia, and South Africa, our friends there tend to pronouce the "c" hard, like a "k". Although it's more of a guideline than an actual rule. When I am talking to people, I tend to blur it, and hope they knew what I mean. Most people do. 

Behind and slightly to to the left of the Macrozamia is a Dioon spinulosum, another cycad. Way in the back is a miniature palm tree, a Phoenix roebellini. The small plant to the right is an Encephalartos natalensis cycad. The leaves that you are seeing trying to poke into the picture at the bottom left are from a Zamia furfuracea.