Cycad Dioon edule, var. palma sola with daffodils

As all cycad collectors know, cycad plants don't flower. They are in a group of plants that have been here on this earth since before the evolution of flowering plants. So, back in the Jurassic, with dinosaurs walking around, there would have been plenty of cycads, but no flowers. But in my garden I have combined them and it looks pretty cool.

There are some things to take into consideration. The most important is sunlight. Flowering plants, like these daffodils, need sunlight to bloom So, if your cycads are in the shade, planting flowering bulbs, like daffodils, will give you leaves, but no blooms. So plant them in a sunny location! Cycads that do well in the sun, even here in the hot desert, are dioon edules, especially the variety which is known as "palma sola". Palma sola is Spanish for "sun palm", and even though cycads aren't palms, you get the idea. They like the sun!

Another very important consideration is water. Cycads need very little water, and they need excellent drainage. Flowering plants need a lot of water. In fact, it's that combination of water and sun that tells them to bloom! So don't be afraid to give them water, even in the winter. To achieve the combination of cycads and daffodils, you have to do a little "landscape engineering". I'm no expert on this, but I know that the cycads should sit on the top of slopes and the flowers should sit at the bottom. It doesn't really show too well in the photo, but the flowers are a few inches lower than the cycads. Water runs of the cycads and puddles around the flowers.

An impossible combination  - that works!