As a cottage cycad nursery I am experimenting with the cold-hardiness of cycads in our area, the Pacific Northwest (of Canada). Last winter I planted out a three-year-old Dioon edule, Macrozamia communis, and Cycas panzihuaensis. The D. edule lost its leaves and may or may not survive; the C. panzi has leaf burn but still has the leaves, and the M. communis is green and thriving. (see photo attached). I think the Macrozamia communis, which is from coastal southeastern Australia and a climate similar to ours, holds a lot of promise for outdor cultivation in the PNW. If anyone wants seeds or plants, please e-mail me privately. --Lori
Lori that's great news! My experiments are quite limited and the best results by far have come from Cycas panzhihuaensis. These have endured a January 2004 overnight freeze of -10 celcius in one gallon pots! The one pictured is the smallest of about a dozen I had. Larger ones sell better of course. The one pictured in your above post, looks very similar to my several examples of Dioon spinulosm, with the spiny leaf tips, but mine are a grayish green color. Cheers, LPN (Lantzville, Vancouver Isl.)
