Cycads
Cycads are ancient seed plants dating back over 200 million years. In the Jurassic Period cycad-like plants dominated world vegetation, which is why this era is sometimes referred to as ‘The Age of Cycads’. However, through the centuries cycads have declined both in number and distribution. Today three families are commonly recognised, with 11 genera and 250 species. There are many Australian native cycads and three endemic genera: Bowenia, Lepidozamia and Macrozamia. Although they are very popular garden plants, cycads are threatened, endangered or extinct in the wild.
Cycads thrive in tropical and subtropical areas with moderate to high rainfall. They resemble palms or tree ferns, and have a thick, soft trunk and a crown of large divided leaves. These primitive plants are dioecious (i.e. male and female reproductive structures are borne on separate plants). Male plants produce pollen in cones and female plants produce large, brightly coloured seeds on the edges of leaf like structures. The seeds are highly poisonous, and must be treated with care.
Sago Palm
Peter Valder is very fond of the sago palm (Cycas revoluta), and he is not alone. This is the most widely cultivated cycad in the world. It is native to the Ryukyu Islands of southern Japan, and it has been grown in China and Japan as a garden plant for hundreds of years. It is slow growing to around 3m (10′) tall, and has a compact crown of dark green, feather-like leaves, made up of crowded, narrow, spiky leaflets. Sago palms are hardy, and will tolerate drought and light frost. They do best in a sunny position with good drainage, and benefit from applications of mulch and fertiliser during the warmer months.
Cycads on the net
The Cycad Pages – Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney http://plantnet.rbgsyd.gov.au/PlantNet/cycad/
Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia http://www.pacsoa.org.au/index.html
Further reading
‘The Garden Plants of China’ by Peter Valder. Published by Florilegium, 1999, ISBN 1876314028, rrp $80 (pre GST).
‘A Guide to Palms and Cycads of the World’ by Lynette Stewart. Published by Angus & Robertson, rrp $49.95 (pre GST).