cycads

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the cycad patch......

I think this is mainly aimed at you Pete but obviously all contributions gratefully accepted.

1)The C. revoluta I pictured above has just started a new flush. (Looks like it has recovered). I just put it in the ground about 2 months ago. Should I re-pot it and bring it in for winter or build a cloche over it (argh!) or trust to my straw and hessian?

2)I have about 30 cycad seeds germinated. (4 types). 6 are showing first leaf. My greenhouse is planned for next spring. My 2 types not showing tap roots yet (silver siam and queen sago) can stay in the c.h. house. But what do I do with the 30?

Clean suggestions only please. :confused:

Free cycad seedling to the answer that works. (After all what do I want with 30+?)


John.

[ 22. August 2007, 05:28 PM: Message edited by: Sarraceniac ]

 

Well, sarraceniac, ..... as to the revoluta, I think I would leave it where it is and cover it with a closhe, open ended and on frosty nights only, throw a thick old blanket over the closhe.
I see you are in scarborough, how cold does it get there? Are you near the coast or a bit inland?
As for the seedlings, why did you grow so many? :D :D

Large window sills are the order of the day I think.
Have you any that really need warm conditions? or can most take it cool.

 

Thanks for the prompt reply Pete.

I am right on the coast. About half a mile as the crow flies and it rarely gets as low as -3c here, last winter no lower than 0c and only once. My front garden is sheltered and south facing.

The reason I have 30 germinated seeds is that they were sold in 8s and 10s and only 4 did not germinate. I knew that the propagator was a good buy. I am worried about bringing them in the house as one d. edule put out a frond last winter and it just grew leggy and died.

j.

 

Pete. A member of my local club, who is a good 'old-fashioned' gardener, but not into exotics, has just suggested buying one of those 10 quid, polythene sheeting temporary, 'greenhouses' and over wintering the cycads in that.

What do you think? I would hate to lose them, especially the burrawangs, which have put down a tap root (all 9 of the 10) but so far no fronds.

John

 

I would be a bit hesitant at overwintering such young plants in such a greenhouse unless you can heat it in some way, reliably and to a minimum of at least 10C.
I'm not really up on the hardiness of many, but I did lose two, three year old, dioon edules to rot in my greenhouse a few years back at a min of 5C, along with a cycas "Marlborough Blue" that was really beginning to look interesting, so I am a bit over cautious now.
Dioon spinulosum gets a winter min of 15C just in case, these put down a root first as they all do, but as I remember it was about six months before the first frond.

 

Heating cables could be the answer perhaps.

 

Right. Thanks. I've decided to bring them into the house. The boss will not be amused, she likes plants but a plethora of baby cycads might be past a joke. I'll have to buy her a couple of orchids.

If anybody wants one as a gift just PM me your address and I will send you a rooted one, but no frond. Choice so far is C. revoluta, D. edule or Macrozamia communis (burrawang). I have some D. spinulosum, and C. cirinalis (Queen Sago) in the prop but won't offer those until I see germination rate. I also have just 3 siamensis but doubt if I will offer those.

John

 

Pete, info please on Dioon Edule. Does it differ much in care and hardiness from C. Revoluta. Strange coincidence, I had a letter from the Palm Centre in Richmond the other day (it's where I bought the Brahia 2 years ago)telling me of their sale from saturday, normally I would bin it as from here it's not practical but we are going taking our son to Heathrow sunday so guess where I have persuded in-house advisor to go? It's better than driving back straight away so I hope to take advantage of the sale as they are discounting everything by 25% so I will be looking for a Butia Capitata and possibly a Dioon E. either �£10 or �£25 they are on the website so I might have a choice. As the Dioon looks tempting I thought I would seek your advice or anyone else who has grown it. The Encephalartos are all too dear to think about.

 

Difficult to say strongy, but my guess is that Dioon edule needs dryer conditions than revoluta, especially in winter. I believe it comes from mexico and grows in fairly dry places.
As I said I lost two plants in the greenhouse due to rot and low temps.
The palm centre should be good, for a couple of hours wandering I should think, I've not been there for a few years now.
I always wanted a bowenia, but they were a bit pricey when I was there, I've tried seed a couple of times but no luck.
http://www.pacsoa.org.au/cycads/Bowenia/spectabilis.html

 

Anyway, an update on the revolutas new fronds, there's fourteen coming.

 

Excellent, pete, you beat me ... I only had twelve.

I think you've had yours a wee bit longer than me, mine is with me 20 months only and two new sets of fronds ... I've got a lot of catching up to do.

 

At least 15yrs LOL, LoL. :D
But bear in mind its done nothing for the last three.

 

Thought I'd show you one my latest additions as of yesterday. As the Palm Centre was doing 30% of Butias I picked this one as it had a far more meaty trunk than the others it was only �£30 reduced to �£20 which was a bargain.

I did get another Chamy H Cerifera which was better than the one I already have.
I decided the Dioon was too risky. :(

 

Superb, pete!

strongy, I don't know that but it looks very nice and certainly was a bargain by your standards ... will check it out here, but we've not always cheaper.