Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Perennial
Palm or Cycad
Origin
Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Canada, Mexico
South Africa
Types
Ratibida columnifera
Alexandria cycad, Encephalartos caffer, Encephalartos concinnus
Number of Varieties
2566
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, Prairies, Rocky areas, rocky outcrops
Riverbanks, Rocky areas, Scrubs
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-109-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-1
12-8
Sunset Zone
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
H1, H2, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm290.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm240.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Purple, Burgundy, Light Green, Brown
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Subulate
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases
Needs very little water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Remove crossing or rubbing branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Fine
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
Rhinitis
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Shadow Tree, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Analgesic
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Leaves, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used in making tea
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
RATIBIDA columnifera
ENCEPHALARTOS altensteinii
Common Name
Mexican Hat
Bread Tree, Prickly Cycad
In Hindi
Mexican Hat
Bread Tree
In German
Mexican Hat
Brotbaum
In French
Mexican Hat
Bread Arbre
In Spanish
mexican Hat
Árbol del pan
In Greek
Mexican Hat
ψωμί Δέντρο
In Portuguese
Mexican Hat
Árvore de pão
In Polish
Mexican Hat
chleb Drzewo
In Latin
Mexicanus Hat
panis ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Equisetopsida
Order
Asterales
Cycadales
Family
Asteraceae
Cycadaceae
Genus
Ratibida
Encephalartos
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1466
1
27800
👆🏻