Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Palm or Cycad
Tree
Origin
South Africa
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, Canada
Types
Alexandria cycad, Encephalartos caffer, Encephalartos concinnus
it is a type of birch
Number of Varieties
663
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverbanks, Rocky areas, Scrubs
Hillside, Mountain tops
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-124-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
7-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16
Habit
Clump-Forming
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
290.00 cm1,680.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
240.00 cm760.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Light Yellow, Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Bronze, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Yellow
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
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
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water
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
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove crossing or rubbing branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune to half of its height
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, fertilize twice a year
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Borers, Chlorosis
Plant Tolerance
Drought
-
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
-
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
-
Allergy
-
Respiratory problems, Skin rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Shadow Tree, Windbreak
Air purification, Shelter for wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds, Stem
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Edible syrup, used for making charcoal, Used for making wood alcohol, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
ENCEPHALARTOS altensteinii
BETULA alleghaniensis
Common Name
Bread Tree, Prickly Cycad
Yellow Birch
In Hindi
Bread Tree
Yellow Birch
In German
Brotbaum
Yellow Birch
In French
Bread Arbre
bouleau jaune
In Spanish
Árbol del pan
Abedul amarillo
In Greek
ψωμί Δέντρο
κίτρινο Birch
In Portuguese
Árvore de pão
κίτρινο Birch
In Polish
chleb Drzewo
żółte brzozy
In Latin
panis ligno
Birch flavum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Equisetopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cycadales
Fagales
Family
Cycadaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Encephalartos
Betula
Clade
-
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
6660
1
27800
👆🏻