Bread tree cycad

This cycad grows up to seven metres tall and may be branched or unbranched. The leaves are straight or curved backwards and up to three metres in length. The leaflets are rigid and fairly broad with one or both margins toothed. There are no prickles at the base of the leaf which distinguishes it from E. natalensis. There are usually two to five greenish-yellow cones up to fifty centimetres long, the female scales covered with protuberances. The seeds are scarlet and up to four centimetres long.

Encephalartos altensteinii is native to Cape Province, South Africa. It grows in bush and forest habitats, where annual rainfall is 34-39 inches, and is often found in exposed full sun locations. Grows well here in zone 9b. Encephalartos are listed on CITES Appendix I. More

Encephalartos altensteinii is a very ornamental garden plant and probably the most common of all the cycads in cultivation. This species is long-lived, is easy to grow and in time develops into large specimens. The species varies somewhat and is closely related to E. natalensis and E. lebomboensis . Description Stem with base suckerThe bread tree cycad developes into a medium to large plant producing initially a single, erect trunk. More