Cycas thouarsii

Cycas thouarsii (28/02/2016, Kew Gardens, London)

Position: Full sun to light shade

Flowering period: NA

Soil: Moist, well drained

Eventual Height: 2.5m (10m in the tropics)

Eventual Spread: 2.5m

Hardiness: 9b, 10a, 10b, 11, 12

Family: Cycadaceae

Cycas thouarsii is an evergreen tropical palm like shrub. Its shiny dark green leaves are feather like in appearance, contain up to 70 leaflets, are arranged in a rosettes, up to 2m long and 40cm across. Its leaflets are opposite and up to 20cm long. Its trunk has an unkempt appearance, may achieve a diameter of up to 40cm and may produce offsets along its length. Its flowers are dioecious and both the male and female flowers appear at the centre of the leaf rosette. Its seed is initially yellow, becoming bright orange when mature.

Cycas thouarsii Leaf (28/02/2016, Kew Gardens, London)

Cycas thouarsii, commonly known as Madagascar Cycad or Madagascar Sago, is native to south east Africa, including Madagascar. In its native habitat this plant grows in open coastal forests. All parts of this plant are poisonous, some pets will eat its seeds, sometimes with fatal consequences.

The etymological root of the binomial name Cycas is derived from the Greek koikas, a name given to a palm by Theophrastus. Thouarsii is named after Louis-Marie Aubert Petit-Thours (1758-1831), a French botanist.

The landscape architect may find Cycas thouarsii useful as a palm like specimen houseplant. It is also suitable for planting in atriums and conservatories. Once established this plant is drought tolerant. This plant is tolerant of maritime conditions.

Cycas thouarsii Trunk (28/02/2016, Kew Gardens, London)

Ecologically, Cycas thouarsii flowers are pollinated by some insects.

Cycas thouarsii prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil.

When maintaining Cycas thouarsii as a houseplant its soil should be watered regularly. Watering should be reduced during the winter months. Its preferred active growing temperature rages from between 18ºc to 24ºc, although it will tolerate a temperature as low as freezing. Feeding with weak fertiliser solution should be carried out once a month during the growing season.



Landscape Architecture

Cycas revoluta

Cycas revoluta (18/11/2012, Kew Gardens, London)

Position: Full sun to light shade

Flowering period: Late spring

Soil: Moist, well drained

Eventual Height: 5m (after 200 years)

Eventual Spread: 2m

Hardiness: 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11

Family: Cycadaceae

Cycas revoluta is a slow growing, long lived, evergreen, palm like shrub. Its shiny dark green leaves are feather like in appearance, up to 90cm long and arranged in a rosettes. Its leaflets are opposite and up to 18cm long. Its trunk has an unkempt appearance and may achieve a diameter of up to 20cm. With age its trunk may branch. Its flowers are dioecious and both the male and female flowers appear at the centre of the leaf rosette. Its seed is initially yellow, becoming bright orange when mature.

Cycas revoluta, commonly known as Sago Cycad, King Sago Palm or Japanese Sago Palm, is native to southern Japan. All parts of this plant are poisonous, some pets will eat its seeds, sometimes with fatal consequences.

Cycas revoluta Leaf (18/11/2012, Kew Gardens, London)

The etymological root of the binomial name Cycas is derived from the Greek koikas, a name given to a palm by Theophrastus. Revoluta is derived from the Latin revolutum meaning ‘rolled back’.

The landscape architect may find Cycas revoluta useful as an interesting specimen plant. It requires hot summers to flourish. Once established this plant is drought tolerant.

Cycas revoluta Trunk (18/11/2012, Kew Gardens, London)

Ecologically, Cycas revoluta flowers are pollinated by some insects.

The Royal Horticultural Society has given Cycas revoluta their prestigious Award of Garden Merit in 1993.

Cycas revoluta prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil. It will not tolerate wet soils.

Cycas revoluta requires little maintenance.