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Fern Palm Zamia

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
ZAM-ee-ah
This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

Zamia is a large genus of shrubs from tropical America with one species being native to southern USA. All the species produce leafy crowns of foliage that resemble palms or ferns and most branch heavily with age to produce attractive clumps. They are mostly found in warm, humid, tropical rainforest habitats. Leaves are often thick and branches radiate out from the trunk. Some are cone producing.

Some species can be grown as houseplants and one called the cardboard palm (Z. furfuracea) is very popular. Grow in bright light and keep well-drained potting soil moist but not overly wet as that can cause root rot.  These plants are highly toxic to pets.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Acuminata'
  • 'Amblyphyllidia'
  • 'Amplifolia'
    None
  • 'Angustifolia'
    None
  • 'Angustissima'
    None
  • 'Boliviana'
    None
  • 'Chigua'
    None
  • 'Cremnophila'
    None
  • 'Cunaria'
    None
  • 'Cupatiensis'
    None
  • 'Dressleri'
    None
  • 'Fairchildiana'
    None
  • 'Fischeri'
    None
    • 'Furfuracea' Form
    None
  • 'Gentryi'
    None
  • 'Herrerae'
    None
  • 'Inermis'
    None
    • 'Integrifolia' Zamia integrifolia
  • 'Ipetiensis'
    None
  • 'Jirijirimensis'
    None
  • 'Kickxii'
    None
  • 'Lawsoniana'
    None
  • 'Lecointei'
    None
  • 'Lindenii'
    None
  • Lindleyi
    None
  • 'Loddigesii Miq.'
    None
  • 'Lucayana'
    None
  • 'Manicata'
    None
  • 'Montana'
  • 'Monticola'
    None
  • 'Muricata'
    None
  • 'Neurophyllidia'
    None
  • 'Obidensis'
    None
  • 'Obliqua'
    None
  • 'Ottonis'
    None
  • 'Paucijuga'
    None
  • 'Picta'
    None
  • 'Poeppigiana'
    None
  • 'Portoricensis'
    None
  • 'Pseudomonticola'
    None
  • 'Pseudoparisitica'
    None
    • 'Pumlia' Form
    None
  • 'Purpurea'
    None
  • 'Pygmaea'
    None
  • 'Roezlii'
    None
  • 'Skinneri'
    None
  • 'Soconuscensis'
    None
  • 'Spartea'
    None
  • 'Splendens'
    None
  • 'Standleyi'
    None
  • 'Sylvatica'
    None
  • 'Tuerckheimii'
    None
  • 'Ulei'
    None
  • 'Vasquezii'
    None
  • 'Wallisii'
    None
'Acuminata', 'Amblyphyllidia', 'Amplifolia', 'Angustifolia', 'Angustissima', 'Boliviana', 'Chigua', 'Cremnophila', 'Cunaria', 'Cupatiensis', 'Dressleri', 'Fairchildiana', 'Fischeri', 'Furfuracea', 'Gentryi', 'Herrerae', 'Inermis', 'Integrifolia', 'Ipetiensis', 'Jirijirimensis', 'Kickxii', 'Lawsoniana', 'Lecointei', 'Lindenii', Lindleyi, 'Loddigesii Miq.', 'Lucayana', 'Manicata', 'Montana', 'Monticola', 'Muricata', 'Neurophyllidia', 'Obidensis', 'Obliqua', 'Ottonis', 'Paucijuga', 'Picta', 'Poeppigiana', 'Portoricensis', 'Pseudomonticola', 'Pseudoparisitica', 'Pumlia', 'Purpurea', 'Pygmaea', 'Roezlii', 'Skinneri', 'Soconuscensis', 'Spartea', 'Splendens', 'Standleyi', 'Sylvatica', 'Tuerckheimii', 'Ulei', 'Vasquezii', 'Wallisii'
Tags:
#houseplant#interiorscape#cycad#leathery leaves#problem for cats#problem for dogs#problem for horses#tropical feel#container plant
 
Form of Z. furfuracea
Form of Z. furfuracea Forest and Kim Starr CC BY 3.0
Leaves of Z. furfurace
Leaves of Z. furfurace tato grasso CC BY-SA 2.5
Z. furfuracea cone
Z. furfuracea cone tanetahi CC BY 2.0
Z. neurophyllidia form
Z. neurophyllidia form Dick Culbert CC BY 2.0
Z. interifolia form
Z. interifolia form Leonora (Ellie) Enking CC BY 2.0
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Acuminata'
  • 'Amblyphyllidia'
  • 'Amplifolia'
    None
  • 'Angustifolia'
    None
  • 'Angustissima'
    None
  • 'Boliviana'
    None
  • 'Chigua'
    None
  • 'Cremnophila'
    None
  • 'Cunaria'
    None
  • 'Cupatiensis'
    None
  • 'Dressleri'
    None
  • 'Fairchildiana'
    None
  • 'Fischeri'
    None
    • 'Furfuracea' Form
    None
  • 'Gentryi'
    None
  • 'Herrerae'
    None
  • 'Inermis'
    None
    • 'Integrifolia' Zamia integrifolia
  • 'Ipetiensis'
    None
  • 'Jirijirimensis'
    None
  • 'Kickxii'
    None
  • 'Lawsoniana'
    None
  • 'Lecointei'
    None
  • 'Lindenii'
    None
  • Lindleyi
    None
  • 'Loddigesii Miq.'
    None
  • 'Lucayana'
    None
  • 'Manicata'
    None
  • 'Montana'
  • 'Monticola'
    None
  • 'Muricata'
    None
  • 'Neurophyllidia'
    None
  • 'Obidensis'
    None
  • 'Obliqua'
    None
  • 'Ottonis'
    None
  • 'Paucijuga'
    None
  • 'Picta'
    None
  • 'Poeppigiana'
    None
  • 'Portoricensis'
    None
  • 'Pseudomonticola'
    None
  • 'Pseudoparisitica'
    None
    • 'Pumlia' Form
    None
  • 'Purpurea'
    None
  • 'Pygmaea'
    None
  • 'Roezlii'
    None
  • 'Skinneri'
    None
  • 'Soconuscensis'
    None
  • 'Spartea'
    None
  • 'Splendens'
    None
  • 'Standleyi'
    None
  • 'Sylvatica'
    None
  • 'Tuerckheimii'
    None
  • 'Ulei'
    None
  • 'Vasquezii'
    None
  • 'Wallisii'
    None
'Acuminata', 'Amblyphyllidia', 'Amplifolia', 'Angustifolia', 'Angustissima', 'Boliviana', 'Chigua', 'Cremnophila', 'Cunaria', 'Cupatiensis', 'Dressleri', 'Fairchildiana', 'Fischeri', 'Furfuracea', 'Gentryi', 'Herrerae', 'Inermis', 'Integrifolia', 'Ipetiensis', 'Jirijirimensis', 'Kickxii', 'Lawsoniana', 'Lecointei', 'Lindenii', Lindleyi, 'Loddigesii Miq.', 'Lucayana', 'Manicata', 'Montana', 'Monticola', 'Muricata', 'Neurophyllidia', 'Obidensis', 'Obliqua', 'Ottonis', 'Paucijuga', 'Picta', 'Poeppigiana', 'Portoricensis', 'Pseudomonticola', 'Pseudoparisitica', 'Pumlia', 'Purpurea', 'Pygmaea', 'Roezlii', 'Skinneri', 'Soconuscensis', 'Spartea', 'Splendens', 'Standleyi', 'Sylvatica', 'Tuerckheimii', 'Ulei', 'Vasquezii', 'Wallisii'
Tags:
#houseplant#interiorscape#cycad#leathery leaves#problem for cats#problem for dogs#problem for horses#tropical feel#container plant
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Zamia
    Family:
    Zamiaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    U.S.A, Mexico, South America
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Shrub
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Arching
    Clumping
    Erect
    Maintenance:
    Low
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Orange
    Red/Burgundy
    Fruit Description:
    Cone producing, resemble corn cobs
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Leathery
    Smooth
    Leaf Type:
    Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Lanceolate
    Leaf Margin:
    Entire
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Description:
    Turgid pinnately compound leaves with long arching petioles leaflets have entire margins resemble palms
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Description:
    This plant is woody and develops basically underground.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Container
    Houseplants
    Problems:
    Problem for Cats
    Problem for Dogs
    Problem for Horses
  • Poisonous to Humans:
    Poison Severity:
    Low
    Poison Symptoms:
    Vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, highly toxic to pets.
    Poison Toxic Principle:
    cycasin
    Causes Contact Dermatitis:
    No
    Poison Part:
    Fruits
    Seeds