Lebombo Cycad
Encephalartos lebomboensis
ALSO KNOWN AS
Broodboom (Afr.)
FULL SUN
ADVANCED CARE
MODERATE WATERING
TENDER
13b
USDA ZONE
18°C
MINIMUM TEMPERATURE
EXPECTED SIZE
HEIGHT |
SPREAD |
|
---|---|---|
2m |
MAX |
2m |
1m |
MIN |
1m |
LEBOMBO CYCAD OVERVIEW
The Lebombo cycad is endemic to the Lebombo Mountains of northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. They are beautiful ornamental plants popular in temperate gardens. Mature plants can have 6 – 8 stems, each producing 1 – 3 cones. Female cones are yellow to orange-yellow, egg-shaped, 40 – 45 cm long and covered with fine grey-brown hairs. Seeds are scarlet-red. This is a common feature plant. ZA Distribution: Mpumalanga.
COMMON PROBLEMS WITH LEBOMBO CYCAD
-
PEST
Soft Scale
HOW TO HARVEST LEBOMBO CYCAD
Harvest seed when mature and loose from the cone.
HOW TO PROPAGATE LEBOMBO CYCAD
Seed
Naked seeds grow on female plants and need pollen from male plants to be fertile. Sow fresh fertile seeds in sandy soil and keep warm and moist. Germination can take 1-3 months.
Suckers
Remove suckers when they have developed their own roots.
SPECIAL FEATURES OF LEBOMBO CYCAD
Pot plant
Attractive leaves
Indoor plant
Drought resistant
OTHER USES OF LEBOMBO CYCAD
Ornamental
Edible
The Afrikaans name ‘Broodboom’ came from the traditional use of the pith as bread – note that Cycads is toxic and it needs a 3month fermentation process to break down those toxins!