Cycas

This is a genus of 113 species of palm-like cycads in the Cycadineae family. They are native to equatorial regions of Asia, Africa, India, Australia, South America and some Pacific islands. Some of these will grow as trees up to 40 feet tall. Some species are cultivated as house plants and some can be grown as ornamentals in warmer regions.

The leaves uncoil similar to ferms and are in a whorled arrangement at the top of the trunk. There are separate male and female plants with the male plants producing pollen cones. What distinguishes this genus from other cycads is that the female plants do not produce cones. Instead, they have a set of modified leaves that bear the seeds along their margins.

These plants grow in a variety of conditions from fertile to rocky and even salty soils in full sun to part shade. Some will grow in swampy areas and others will be found in grasslands and forests. They are generally very long-lived and slow-growing. The sago palm is the most popular species grown in the southeast.

See additional Cycas images at Juniper Level Botanical Garden

• Hardy Cycads

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  Scale and mealybugs can be a problem. Overwatering can cause root rot for some species.