Life Span
Biennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Palm or Cycad
Vegetable
Origin
South Africa
North America, Mexico, Central America
Types
Alexandria cycad, Encephalartos caffer, Encephalartos concinnus
Winter squash, Field pumpkin, Crookneck pumpkin
Number of Varieties
6620
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverbanks, Rocky areas, Scrubs
close to waterfalls, Riverbanks, Warmer regions, waterways, Wet ground
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-121-6
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
290.00 cm91.44 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
240.00 cm609.60 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Orange Red, Yellow Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Early Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Well drained
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs very little water
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Requires consistently moist soil, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season, Water in the early morning hours
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove crossing or rubbing branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove Vines
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Apply 5-10-5 amounts, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Beetles, Bugs
Allergy
-
Asthma, breathing problems, Itchiness, Nasal Congestion, Swelling, Swelling in the face
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin and hair, Skin cleanser, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Shadow Tree, Windbreak
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Anemia, Antibacterial, anti-cancer, cholesterol-lowering, Fertility, High blood pressure, Immunity, Liver problems, Prevention of convulsion, Regulates Blood Sugar
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds, Stem
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in salads
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
ENCEPHALARTOS altensteinii
CUCURBITA pepo 'Wolf'
Common Name
Bread Tree, Prickly Cycad
Pumpkin
In Hindi
Bread Tree
कद्दू
In German
Brotbaum
Kürbis
In French
Bread Arbre
Citrouille
In Spanish
Árbol del pan
Calabaza
In Greek
ψωμί Δέντρο
Κολοκύθι
In Portuguese
Árvore de pão
Abóbora
In Polish
chleb Drzewo
Dynia
In Latin
panis ligno
cucurbita
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Equisetopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cycadales
Violales
Family
Cycadaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Encephalartos
Cucurbita
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Cucurbiteae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
669
1
27800
👆🏻