Coontie Palm Zamia pumila
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ZAM-ee-uh POO-mil-uh
- This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Florida Arrowroot is a low-growing woody plant in the cycad family and is native to Florida. The compound leaves grow from a thick underground stem and unfurl like a fern. It is evergreen and grows 1-3 feet tall and in time will form clumps. This cycad has better cold tolerance than most and can be grown to zone 7b.
This plant prefers sandy to sandy loam soils in full sun to partial shade. It is drought and salt tolerant making it a great plant to use on the coast. Use as a ground cover for a tropical look and as a specimen or foundation 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:
- pumila
- Family:
- Zamiaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Greater Antillies, Florida
- Distribution:
- FL, GA
- Wildlife Value:
- Larval host to the Atala butterfly.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
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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
- Occasionally Dry
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
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Flowers:
- Flower Description:
- No true flowers. Male cones are cylindrical and often clustered. The female cones are elongate-ovoid and reddish. Appear on separate male and female plants.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Rough
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Other/more complex
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Large stiff pinnately compound leaves 2-4 feet long with 5 to 30 pairs of leaflets. Leaflets are linear to lanceolate, 3-9 inches long and 1/2 inch wide.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Design Feature:
- Foundation Planting
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Salt
- 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
