#zamiaceae

Dioon edule

Dioon is a genus of cycads found in Mexico and Central America. Although cycads bear some resemblance to ferns or small palms, they are related to neither and are actually a type of conifer. Plants are either male or female, though the sex cannot be determined until they are old enough to make a cone. Our plant pictured here has turned out to be a male. D. edule occurs in the Sierra Madre Oriental of eastern Mexico, from Nuevo Leon southward to Veracruz.

Dioon edule

This Mexican cycad comes from the Caribbean side of Mexico. Though often mistaken for ferns or palms, cycads are actually conifers - note the cone at the center of the plant. We are pleased that despite its tropical origins, Dioon edule grows happily here at the Ruth Bancroft Garden.

Encephalartos cerinus

This species is one of the many striking blue-leaved cycads found in South Africa. It has a very limited area of occurrence in a rocky gorge in KwaZulu-Natal, in the eastern part of the country. Like all cycads, it has separate male and female plants, and the long slender cone seen in the photos shows that our plant is a male. We hope that one of our other plants will prove to be a female, so that we can cross-pollinate to make seeds.

Encephalartos lehmannii

South Africa's Eastern Cape Province is home to some striking blue-leaved cycads in the genus Encephalartos, and one of these is Encephalartos lehmannii. All cycads have separate male and female individuals, and our plant is a male (the cone would be wider if it were a female). In the last couple of weeks it has reached maturity, and the cone scales have separated a bit so that the pale yellow pollen can be seen. The fountain of blue leaves hides the cone quite effectively, so most visitors to the garden don't realize that it is there.