Cardboard Plant Zamia furfuracea
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ZAM-ee-uh fur-fur-AH-see-u
- This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Cardboard cycad is a slow-growing cycad with rigid, cardboard textured leaves that is native to Mexico. The showy large leaves grow in a circular pattern similar to palms. It is easy to grow in well-drained soils in full sun to partial shade. A large seed cone forms in the center the female plant with many red toxic seeds. They are drought and salt tolerant.
In NC it will need to be brought indoors for the winter. Grow this plant in well-drained sandy loam soil in full sun to partial shade. Allow the soil to dry between waterings and use a pot with several drainage holes. They are slow-growing so they can make a nice indoor plant.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Zamia
- Species:
- furfuracea
- Family:
- Zamiaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Mexico
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 6 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Houseplant
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Multi-trunked
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Description:
- No fruits, gymosperm.
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Flowers:
- Flower Description:
- Gymnosperms have no true flowers. It produces a rusty-brown cone in the center of the female plant. The egg-shaped female cones and smaller male cone clusters are produced on separate plants.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Large compound leaves with 6-12 pairs of stiff fuzzy leaflets. Leaflets are 3-8 inches long and 1-2 inches wide. Upper third of leaves may have serrated margins. They grow in a spiral similar to palms.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Container
- Houseplants
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Medium
- Poison Symptoms:
- Vomiting (may be bloody), dark stools, headache, stomach pain, jaundice, increased thirst, bloody diarrhea, bruising, liver failure, death. 1-2 seeds can be fatal.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Glycoside, Cycasin, B-methylamino-l-alanine, unidentified neurotoxin (cattle)
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Seeds
