Cycad (Encephalartos horridus) - Garden.org

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General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Cactus/Succulent
Life cycle:	Other
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun
Water Preferences:	Mesic Dry
Soil pH Preferences:	Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 10a -1.1 °C (30 °F) to +1.7 °C (35 °F)
Maximum recommended zone:	Zone 12
Plant Height:	2 - 3 feet
Plant Spread:	2 - 4 feet
Leaves:	Glaucous Unusual foliage color Evergreen
Underground structures:	Tuber
Suitable Locations:	Xeriscapic Houseplant
Edible Parts:	Stem
Eating Methods:	Cooked
Propagation: Other methods:	Offsets
Containers:	Suitable in 3 gallon or larger Needs excellent drainage in pots
Miscellaneous:	Dioecious
Conservation status:	Endangered (EN)

Conservation status:

Common names

Cycad
Eastern Cape Blue Cycad
Encephalartos
Ferocious Blue Cycad

Photo Gallery

Location: St Louis - Missouri Botanical Garden
Date: 2024-01-03

Uploaded by SL_gardener

Location: Real Botanico de Madrid
Date: 2023-11-11

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: In the Crystal Bridge & Myriad Gardens in Oklahoma City
Date: July, 2005
Cycad (Encephalartos horridus) 001

Uploaded by jathton

Location: National Botanical Garden, DC, Virginia :) | May, 2022
Date: 2022-05-28

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Botanical Garden Cologne (Germany)
Date: 2017-08-19

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: MOBOT - St Louis
Date: 2013-02-25

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: St Louis - Missouri Botanical Garden

Uploaded by SL_gardener

Location: Botanical Garden University Gent, Belgium
Date: 2015-10-23

Uploaded by bonitin

Location: In the Crystal Bridge & Myriad Gardens in Oklahoma City
Date: July, 2005
Cycad (Encephalartos horridus) 002

Uploaded by jathton

Location: In the Crystal Bridge & Myriad Gardens in Oklahoma City
Date: July, 2005
Cycad (Encephalartos horridus) 003

Uploaded by jathton

Location: Hortus Botanicus Leiden
Date: 2022-03-26

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: San Antonio Botanical Garden, San Antonio, Texas
Date: 2022-04-04

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: New York Botanical Gardens Bronx NY
Date: 2018-03-03

Uploaded by bxncbx

Location: St Louis - Missouri Botanical Garden

Uploaded by SL_gardener

Location: National Botanical Garden (DC) | November 2022
Date: 2022-11-26

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Hortus Botanicus Leiden
Date: 2022-03-26

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: Monte Palace - Funchal - Madeira
Date: 2023-04-14

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: Marimurta Botanical Garden
Date: 2019-04-22
The tag is vissible, if a bit blurry

Uploaded by skopjecollection

Location: RHS Wisley, Surrey, UK.
Date: 2022-08-04

Uploaded by RachaelHunter

Location: At The Ruth Bancroft Gardens in Walnut Creek, CA
Date: 2017-04-22 - Spring
A very old Encephalartos horridus

Uploaded by tarev

Location: At the Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek, CA
Date: 2017-04-22 - Spring
First time cone of Encephalartos horridus

Uploaded by tarev

Location: Botanical Garden University Gent, Belgium
Date: 2015-10-23

Uploaded by bonitin

Location: In the Crystal Bridge & Myriad Gardens in Oklahoma City
Date: July, 2005
Cycad (Encephalartos horridus) 004

Uploaded by jathton

Location: Sarasota, FL
Date: 2015-04-30
At Selby Gardens

Uploaded by mellielong

Location: Sarasota, FL
Date: 2015-04-30
At Selby Gardens

Uploaded by mellielong

Location: MOBOT - St Louis
Date: 2013-02-25

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Atlanta BG
Date: Aug 16

Uploaded by jooshewa

Location: Krohn conservatory, Cincinnati OH
Date: 7/21/13

Uploaded by Lilydaydreamer

Comments:

Posted by jathton (Oklahoma City, OK - Zone 7a) on Oct 30, 2019 8:57 PM concerning plant:

Native to South Africa, Encephalartos horridus is an evergreen, slow-growing cycad that makes its home on rocky outcroppings, slopes and ridges in the Eastern Cape Province. It is a dioecious gymnosperm with cylindrical male cones and oval female cones. Fertilization takes place in summer.

If a gardener can find one in the trade, and if he is willing to handle a plant as prickly as this one, the 'Ferocious Blue Cycad' makes a striking container plant in the garden in summer. North of zone 10, however, it must be taken indoors for the winter... and there is the rub... or scratch.

Ice Blue Cycads in San Diego is a possible source for this plant.

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