Cycads, anyone?

Discussion in 'Outdoor Tropicals' started by Sunset Cycads, Aug 4, 2005.

  1. Sunset Cycads

    Sunset Cycads Active Member 10 Years

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    I am not sure what your climate zone is but there are some species suited to temperate climates: I have successfully overwintered Macrozamia communis and Cycas panzihuanensis in a sheltered location when temperatures dipped to -6 degrees Celsius. I am experimenting with other species, as well, and will report on my findings as time goes on.
     
  2. knnn

    knnn Member

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    Greg,
    Is this the same sp. "Mexico" you have?
    (Been trying to figure this one out too :-)
     

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  3. gcolbert28303

    gcolbert28303 Member

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    Location:
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    It does look just like, I have 7 of the with 2 shoots each and upto 4 leafs per but I hopeing for a good leaf next summer from one of them.
     
  4. knnn

    knnn Member

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    Location:
    Central Kansas, USA
    Mine germinated last Spring, Also hoping to see some more mature leaves this Summer.

    Maybe Z.floridana Var." Palatka Giant" would be worth a try in your area? I have some outside here that seem to handle lows in the 20's(F).
    ( These have been exposed to far lower than that this Winter.... they did start growing again after a 23F low so they seem at least to be able to handle that)
     
  5. yousatonmycactus

    yousatonmycactus Active Member

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    Hello Lori,

    I thought you might enjoy these photos of Encephilartos woodii and a few others.
     

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    Last edited: Dec 23, 2006
  6. Sunset Cycads

    Sunset Cycads Active Member 10 Years

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    I would love to see them but I'm afraid there were not any photos attached to your post.
    --Lori
     
  7. yousatonmycactus

    yousatonmycactus Active Member

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  8. Sunset Cycads

    Sunset Cycads Active Member 10 Years

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    Where are these located? Is that really an Encephalartos woodii, the rarest plant on Earth? Only known from a single clump of male plants in S. Africa, no females known to exist. What a fascinating cycad.
     
  9. yousatonmycactus

    yousatonmycactus Active Member

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    Actually, yes. This is a group of three Enchephalartos woodii males at Lotusland in Montecito, California, just south of Santa Barbara. I am a Docent at Madame Walska's Lotusland, and have the pleasure of giving tours of what is called one of the largest, if not the largest Cycad collection in the United States. Go to http://www.lotusland.org to tour the other gardens within Lotusland. I would be happy to provide other photos if you are interested.
     
  10. Sunset Cycads

    Sunset Cycads Active Member 10 Years

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    Oh, yes, please, more photos. Lotusland is one of THE places I intend to visit. I have heard much about it. Perhaps you could describe the garden and its history for those not familiar with it.
    --Lori
     
  11. yousatonmycactus

    yousatonmycactus Active Member

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    Lori,

    If you go to the Lotusland link I sent and click on it, then click on the photo of Madame Walska, you can take a virtual tour of the gardens and read the history of Lotusland (which I find facinating). You can also Google Lotusland for more photos and information that is not provided by Lotusland.org. My photo files are too large to send via the UBC BGCPR web site. If you tell me which cycads you are most interested in, I can photograph them and forward them to you via regular E-mail or a CD.
     
  12. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Oh, very nice! I thought I recognized the plants in the photographs - we had a lovely tour of Ganna Walska early last year, and the Enchephalartos woodii was pointed out. Maybe you were the person giving the tour!
     
  13. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    I think I speak for more than a few people when I say I'd like to see them as well. Have you considered using Irfanview or a similar program to resize and create a smaller version of your images?
     
  14. yousatonmycactus

    yousatonmycactus Active Member

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    Hi Daniel,

    When I said my photo files were too large for posting, I was referring to the number of photos I have taken a Lotusland, as well as the Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens, and numerous garden tours taken as a member of the Santa Barbara Botanical Society. I have over 6,000 digital photos that I have taken at Lotusland, showing the changes over the 18 month period beginning in August of 2005 when I began docent training there. I will be happy to share photos with the UBC Botanical Garden and will make sure to make atribution if any other photograpers images are used (my daughter E-mailed me the two images of the glass winged butterfly's and I had no idea who took them. Thank you for supplying the name). I will explore IRFANView with my wife, who teaches computer for the Ventura Unified School District and is much more likely to be able to decifer how to use it. Thanks again for your great site. I look forward every morning to new photos.
     
  15. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    All I can say is "I wish I had the opportunity to take 6000 photographs at Lotusland". I'm very envious. Looking back on 2006, I would list Lotusland as one of the top 5 most memorable new places I visited last year (along with Botanical Beach in BC, Chiricahua Nat'l Monument, Point Lobos and Death Valley).
     
  16. yousatonmycactus

    yousatonmycactus Active Member

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    Every month presents a different facet of Lotusland. I get to give four tours per month, and therefore have the opportunity of viewing the gardens both morning and afternoon, in sunshine and rain. Last month at the Docent pot luck dinner I was able to fullfill a long-time dream and visit the Aloe, Lotus, and Japanese Gardens in full moonlight. I have never visited the Botanical Beach in BC or the Chiricahua National
    Monument. I envy your abilty to travel.

    As you know, Kenton Stevens originally owned Lotusland (then known as Tanglewood), and was a pioneer nurseryman in the west. I would love to get my hands on one of his catalogues from the late 1800's, to give more informative tours of the Lotusland Gardens. I am sure you will agree that a two hour tour is hardly enough to cover the 37.5 acres and 17 gardens. Please come back one day.

    Guy Webb
     

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