OTHER CYCAD FEATURES
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ENCEPHALARTOS CERINUS
Locality:
This species is critically endangered and is only found
within the Buffelsrivier Valley of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Plants grow in rocky grasslands and sheer cliff faces inside the
range of Buffelsrivier Valley. The climate is
hot and dry, getting little annual rainfall.
Plant Size:
This is a dwarf species. Mature plants rarely
exceed one meter in total height. The stem of this species
is subterranean, which contributes to its diminutive stature.
Stems also tend to be solitary; it is exceptionally rare to see
this species produce any basal suckers.
Other Characteristics:
The name "cerinus" is derived from the Latin word for
wax. The blue/green color that you observe in this species
is caused by a waxy coat that the plant produces (like a plant
sunscreen). This species is a good grower, flushing
regularly on an annual (or biannual) basis. They do carry
a full, upright crown of leaves which are relatively unarmed.
Another interesting trait of this cycad is, if you rub a leaflet
between your fingers and smell them, it smell like wax.
This is the only species that I am aware that does this.
Female cones are are a light green or yellow/green. Male
cones are a light yellow.
Culture: This plant does well in coastal full or
partial sun. In inland areas, I recommend planting this
species in partial sun or filtered light. For desert
regions, I only recommend this species for shade. This
species prefers a soil that drains well, but is tolerant of
water.
Landscape Usage:
This plant is a great addition to most gardens and
landscapes. It is "friendly" as far as Encephalartos
go, and is easy to fit in even tight garden spaces. It
really should be at the forefront of any planted space as it
does not get too big, and it is a beautiful plant. You
don't have to worry about getting poked or scratched by this
species, so if it were to drape into a seating area or walkway,
that would not be an issue.
Availability: We
typically can offer sizes from seedlings or small plants on this
species. It's quite rare to offer a larger plant as this
species is so rare and it takes over 20 years to get a larger
plant. But, we usually have a supply of seedlings on up to
about 15 gallon plants. .
Pricing:
Encephalartos cerinus is a very rare plant and usually
expensive. And, remember that is a slow growing dwarf
species and never gets very large.
Examples of prices are listed below.
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