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Zamia integrifolia is often confused with:
Cycas revoluta Cycas revoluta
Cycas taitungensis Cycas taitungensis
Plants that fill a similar niche:
Buxus microphylla var. japonica Buxus microphylla var. japonica
Zamia pumila Form
Aesculus pavia Plant in bloom

Coontie Zamia integrifolia

Other Common Name(s):

Previously known as:

  • Palmifolium floridanum
  • Zamia dentata
  • Zamia floridana
  • Zamia humilis
Phonetic Spelling
ZAM-ee-uh in-teg-ree-FOH-lee-uh
This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

Consisting of 60 species, Zamia is a varied genus of the cycad family found in Florida, Caribbean area and tropical South America. Zamia integrifolia L.f. (Z. floridana) is a shrub-like herb with a fleshy underground stem.  In the US it is native to the States of Florida and Georgia.  It prefers well-drained, sandy, moist soils with or without organic matter though it does grow better in more nutrient-dense soils.  It is drought tolerant and tolerates salt spray. 

This small ancient cycad supports an endangered butterfly so planting it in mass as a groundcover will help this butterfly though the plants may suffer from larval feeding.  They often recover nicely.  The fleshy seed coat must be removed to start germination.  Stem cuttings from the underground fleshy stem can be used to create new plants.

More information on Zamia.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#evergreen#poisonous#drought tolerant#perennial#specimen#shrub#wildlife plant#cones#slow growing#interesting leaves#salt spray tolerant#spiny leaves#non-flowering#fern-like#palm-like#cycad#larval host plant#butterfly friendly#problem for cats#problem for dogs#problem for horses
 
Zamia integrifolia
Leaves Close-up Jeffdelonge CC BY-SA 3.0
Zamia integrifolia
Leaves tato grasso CC BY-SA 2.5
Zamia integrifolia`
Form in Pot 22Kartika CC BY-SA 3.0
Zamia integrifolia
Full Form Andy king50 CC BY-SA 3.0
Zamia integrifolia
Fruit and Stem Jeffdelonge CC BY-SA 3.0
Zamia integrifolia
Fruit Close-up Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz CC BY-SA 4.0
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#evergreen#poisonous#drought tolerant#perennial#specimen#shrub#wildlife plant#cones#slow growing#interesting leaves#salt spray tolerant#spiny leaves#non-flowering#fern-like#palm-like#cycad#larval host plant#butterfly friendly#problem for cats#problem for dogs#problem for horses
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Zamia
    Species:
    integrifolia
    Family:
    Zamiaceae
    Uses (Ethnobotany):
    A source of starch for Native Americans. Also used as an ingredient in Animal Crackers.
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Root Cutting
    Seed
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Georgia to Florida, Bahamas, Cuba, Cayman Islands
    Wildlife Value:
    Larval host for atala butterfly (Eumaeus atala florida) and the echo moth (Sierarctia echo).
    Edibility:
    Processed flour made from the root is not toxic and is made into bread and spaghetti.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Ground Cover
    Poisonous
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Needled Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Arching
    Clumping
    Erect
    Growth Rate:
    Slow
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Texture:
    Coarse
  • 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:
    High Organic Matter
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Alkaline (>8.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Available Space To Plant:
    12 inches-3 feet
    3 feet-6 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10b, 10a, 11b, 11a
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Orange
    Red/Burgundy
    Fruit Length:
    1-3 inches
    Fruit Width:
    1-3 inches
    Fruit Description:
    Dioecious plants. Male cones are thin. Female cones are broad, erect 3'-6' tall with fleshy, orange-yellow or reddish seeds 1/2"-1" long.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Insignificant
    Flower Description:
    non-flowering
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Needled Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Glossy
    Leathery
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Leaf Type:
    Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Other/more complex
    Rosulate
    Leaf Shape:
    Lanceolate
    Linear
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    > 6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Fern-like pinnately divided leaves 10"-50" long with 5-30 leaflets.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Description:
    Stem-less
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Coastal
    Container
    Naturalized Area
    Woodland
    Landscape Theme:
    Rock Garden
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Mass Planting
    Specimen
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Small Mammals
    Songbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Drought
    Poor Soil
    Salt
    Problems:
    Poisonous to Humans
    Problem for Cats
    Problem for Dogs
    Problem for Horses
  • 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:
    Sap/Juice
    Seeds
    Stems