Widely
distributed in southern India, mainland Southeast Asia, the Malay
Archipelago and islands of the South Pacific, this is a robust plant
commonly suckering from the base with multiple trunks up to 15 ft
(4.5 m) high and over 12 in (30 cm) thick, and dense crowns of
bright green, glossy fronds 6-10 ft (1.8-3 m) long. The large seeds
ripen to shiny reddish yellow and are able to float in water (this
has aided their wide dispersal).
Hardiness zone from 10 To 12
Cultivation: With the exception of Cycas revoluta, most Cycas
species do not thrive outdoors except in tropical and warmer
subtropical areas. They like sunny positions but with some shade in
the younger stages, and deep, well-drained soil. Propagation is from
seed, detached offsets, or by cutting off a whole trunk and plunging
the base in a trench filled with gravel and organic matter. |