Dioon edule, var. palma sola at 115 degrees F (46 degrees celsius)

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Here is one of my favorite cycads, a Dioon edule var. palma sola. It got to 119 yesterday and will probably get as hot today. This plant gets the full brunt of the sun ("fires of hell" I call it) and has been here at The Tropical Paradise for several years.

I have no idea why nurseries don't sell these in the Phoenix area. Not only do they shrug off the blazing sun, they do fine in the nasty frosts that we get in January. Amazing, beautiful plants. By the way, be sure to get the "palma sola" variety of dioon edule. Palma sola means sun palm, and they really mean it.

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