Been talking about bonsai to the girlfriend. Was going to order one soon but she was at home depot and saw a house plant labeled “bonsai”.
Its definitely not a bonsai but she meant well haha. Could I get an ID on this not-a-bonsai that she got me? I’ve been looking on the internet for hours but I’ve hand no luck

Interesting looking plant and a lovely specimen , but I have no idea what it is. One thing that I do notice is that it appears to be a caudiciform, which are frequently used for bonsai. So your GF may not be as far out in left field as you think. Maybe @Reine or @LAGirl may have an ID of your plant. Seeing the bloom will also give a better indication of its identity. BTW, jmtoni to NGA and the Houseplant forum. We're glad to have you with us. Others will respond to your thread soon.

I just saw a picture of this not too long ago, someone got an ID on it. I can't seem to find it again though.

Deebie said:Interesting looking plant and a lovely specimen , but I have no idea what it is. One thing that I do notice is that it appears to be a caudiciform, which are frequently used for bonsai. So your GF may not be as far out in left field as you think. Maybe @Reine or @LAGirl may have an ID of your plant. Seeing the bloom will also give a better indication of its identity. BTW, jmtoni to NGA and the Houseplant forum. We're glad to have you with us. Others will respond to your thread soon.

And you say this because of the large root sprouting long tall stems? Interesting, learning has occurred.

Here is another pic. The ID would be good too so I could make sure I’m actually giving it enough light, water. The tags on all these completely different “bonsai” all had the same directions


This is the tag, the sticker on the bottom was partially ruined but I could see made in alpopka f, found that city, Also was a Dew, that corresponds with dewards nursery. Thinking about emailing em.

Looks to be a baby Cardboard Palm (Zamia furfuracea) - though it's technically a cycad and not a type of palm at all.

There are lots of pics in the plants database, but not pics of juvenile/seedling plants - these would be nice additions.

Cardboard Palm (Zamia furfuracea)

Carter said:Looks to be a baby Cardboard Palm (Zamia furfuracea) - though it's technically a cycad and not a type of palm at all.

There are lots of pics in the plants database, but not pics of juvenile/seedling plants - these would be nice additions.

Cardboard Palm (Zamia furfuracea)

NICE ID. This is it, it has to be! Thanks for your help. Not quite a bonsai but I agree with the other posts, a nice specimen.



Wow it will very different when it matures.

Ya, this is the distinctive look of a seedling Cardboard Palm and along with their cousin, the Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta), they are very commonly used as these (not) bonsai. . They do change considerably as they mature. As cycads go, they are on the smaller side, but they can still attain a pretty decent size!

@Carter, great eye on the identity of jmtoni's lovely plant! I never would have guessed Zamia but I really had no clue. I sure do like the looks of that juvenile form. I googled and found photos of some with neat looking bonsai like appearances: https://www.google.com/search?...

plantladylin said:@Carter, great eye on the identity of jmtoni's lovely plant! I never would have guessed Zamia but I really had no clue. I sure do like the looks of that juvenile form. I googled and found photos of some with neat looking bonsai like appearances:

Yeah now its just a waiting game to let it mature a bit. Nothing to do now but wait and not overwater.
Submitted some photos to the database too. To keep it in my office like I want I’d have to replant and heavily prune as it gets bigger. Perhaps
just taking one of the main roots apart from the cluster and repotting it by itself. I can technically prune large roots to stunt the growth right?




Hes currently serving as my desk companion.

jmtoni said:

And you say this because of the large root sprouting long tall stems? Interesting, learning has occurred.

Basically, yes, and partly based on the definition I read on a fairly reliable website for Caudiciforms on their introductory page. It states:
A common denominator is the perennial swollen caudex/bulb/stem/rhizome or similar.
Here's the links to the website and just as I thought it might be, your plant is on their list of caudiciforms. Here's the link to the list: http://www.bihrmann.com/caudic...

This one is for the specific plant ID'd
http://www.bihrmann.com/caudic...

I don't claim to be an expert by any means and didn't mean to rattle you. So, if I did. I apologize. Happy learning.

Deebie said:

Basically, yes, and partly based on the definition I read on a fairly reliable website for Caudiciforms on their introductory page. It states:
A common denominator is the perennial swollen caudex/bulb/stem/rhizome or similar.
Here's the links to the website and just as I thought it might be, your plant is on their list of caudiciforms. Here's the link to the list:
This one is for the specific plant ID'd


I don't claim to be an expert by any means and didn't mean to rattle you. So, if I did. I apologize. Happy learning.

No worries its all fun. I’m happy to learn and everyone’s input is greatly appreciated. I’m looking at a ficus to bonsai soon too.

Your girlfriend did good. ZZ'z are great plants.

They really are lovely when they are so small too.

Enjoy your new plant!

Laurie B

ZZ plant (Zamioculcas Zamifolia) is a completely different and totally unrelated plant - tho, they are great plants, too!

You got a good plant there jmtoni! Looks like a Zamia furfuracea and I love Zamia furfuracea! But it does not seem to be one, looking at how the leaves shape grows and how it is arranged on the leaf stalk. I have observed mine to grow pinnate - side by side in pairs-.

I guess you can keep your plant in bonsai form, as long as you keep it in its small container as long as you can. But they are so pretty once it grows bigger, it has its own tropical look.
And for now grow it like a Zamia furfuracea, till you get the more accurate name for it.

When I repotted mine, I raised the caudex a bit.
This is how mine looked like after its initial repot last March 2014:



To give you an idea how big it can grow, given more light and warmth:


In my area it makes new leaf stalks during the hottest time of the year. I grow mine outdoors year round, have to make media very well draining since we get more rains in winter.

The new leaf growth are still soft, but as it opens up and matures more, it becomes stiff like cardboard.

tarev said:You got a good plant there jmtoni! Looks like a Zamia furfuracea and I love Zamia furfuracea! But it does not seem to be one, looking at how the leaves shape grows and how it is arranged on the leaf stalk. I have observed mine to grow pinnate - side by side in pairs-.

I guess you can keep your plant in bonsai form, as long as you keep it in its small container as long as you can. But they are so pretty once it grows bigger, it has its own tropical look.
And for now grow it like a Zamia furfuracea, till you get the more accurate name for it.

When I repotted mine, I raised the caudex a bit.
This is how mine looked like after its initial repot last March 2014:



To give you an idea how big it can grow, given more light and warmth:


In my area it makes new leaf stalks during the hottest time of the year. I grow mine outdoors year round, have to make media very well draining since we get more rains in winter.

The new leaf growth are still soft, but as it opens up and matures more, it becomes stiff like cardboard.

Very nice looking plant. What I think I might do, is when it gets bigger go ahead and repot it to let it get to its full potential. But also try to propagate the small seedlings to keep some on my desk. (excuse my lack of proper vocabulary) But I can break off some of those main roots right? And keep it heavily pruned to stunt the growth right? In order to keep a small one on my desk?

The little root sprouting up (in blue), I would keep that in the small pot but move the larger one to a large pot. And To make the root grow larger without the stems getting huge as quickly I could prune the largest stem (in red). I know on a tree this makes the trunk sort of grow differently, with a new lead branch. I wonder what pruning like that would do to this plant.

Will new main roots pop up as it grows or is that a product of successful germination?

@jmtoni, Cardboard palms will form a trunk, partially above ground and partially below. They then will make offsets to form multi-headed trunks. I'm not sure if yours is forming an offset at this young age or if it is two actual plants from multiple seeds being started in the same pot. You can divide them, but I would wait until at least spring to do so. Then be careful of overwatering until you see active growth.

Yours currently has the juvenile foliage. It will develop foliage more like the pics Tarev posted as it matures. What you are calling a "root" is the head of the little baby trunks. These grow differently than other trees that you can cut back to make them branch. With cycads such as this Zamia, if you cut or damage the head you may very likely end up killing it. The parts that you have circled are where the "whirls" of fronds emerge from, and in this case, the protrusions in your circles are the newest fronds that have come out. At this young age, yours is only producing one frond per whirl. As your plant matures and grows, it will produce more and more fronds in each new whirl.

jmtoni, the plant grows very slow, at most I get only 2 or 3 fronds a year per trunk, unlike the cycads where it can yield about 10 to 12 fronds in one growth flush. Your plant is still young and being grown indoors, all the more it will grow slower and with the cold season, much slower. So do adjust and give long watering intervals.

I agree with Carter, the encircled parts are not roots. It is fun to watch the new growth when it comes out, like a brush.



This type of plant is not really best for pruning like other trees used for bonsai. There are other caudiciforms that are better candidates if you really like pruning branches and roots to make a bonsai.