Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Palm or Cycad
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
Origin
South Africa
North America, Europe, Africa, Asia
Types
Alexandria cycad, Encephalartos caffer, Encephalartos concinnus
-
Number of Varieties
661
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverbanks, Rocky areas, Scrubs
Alpine Meadows, meadows, Mountains, stream banks
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-124-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
8-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
290.00 cm91.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
240.00 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Crimson, Pink, Red, Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Several shades of Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas, Shallow soil
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, From bulbs
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs very little water
Keep the Soil well drained, occasional watering once established
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove crossing or rubbing branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Prune after flowering, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Compost, Organic Flower Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Bacteria wilt, Pink Root, Red blotch, Root rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Shallow soil, Soil Compaction
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Red eyes, Vomiting, wheezing
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
Good Cleanser, Good for the Scalp
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Shadow Tree, Windbreak
Air purification, Provides ground cover
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antibacterial, Antifungal, Anti-oxidant, Eczema, hemorrhoids
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds, Stem
Leaf Stalks, Stem
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
ENCEPHALARTOS altensteinii
Spigelia marilandica
Common Name
Bread Tree, Prickly Cycad
Woodland pinkroot, Indian pink
In Hindi
Bread Tree
pinkroot
In German
Brotbaum
Spigelia
In French
Bread Arbre
Spigelia
In Spanish
Árbol del pan
Spigelia
In Greek
ψωμί Δέντρο
Spigelia
In Portuguese
Árvore de pão
Spigelia
In Polish
chleb Drzewo
Spigelia
In Latin
panis ligno
Spigelia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Equisetopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cycadales
Gentianales
Family
Cycadaceae
Loganiceae
Genus
Encephalartos
Spigelia
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
6660
1
27800
👆🏻