Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Tree
Palm or Cycad
Origin
Southeastern United States
South Africa
Types
Tree
Alexandria cycad, Encephalartos caffer, Encephalartos concinnus
Number of Varieties
-66
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Canopy
Riverbanks, Rocky areas, Scrubs
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-99-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-3
12-8
Sunset Zone
2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
H1, H2, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Pyramidal
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
460.00 cm290.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm240.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Orange Red
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong to ablanceolate
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Slow
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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
Acidic
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove crossing or rubbing branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Nitrate based fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Beetles
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Hair Conditioner, Skin Problems
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Shadow Tree, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cardiac, Diuretic, Refrigerant, Tonic
-
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Leaves, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
It is a remedy for treating fevers, Used in making tea, Used in treatment of mouth ulcers
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Mixed Border
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
OXYDENDRUM arboreum
ENCEPHALARTOS altensteinii
Common Name
Sourwood
Bread Tree, Prickly Cycad
In Hindi
Sourwood
Bread Tree
In German
Sourwood
Brotbaum
In French
Sourwood
Bread Arbre
In Spanish
Sourwood
Árbol del pan
In Greek
Sourwood
ψωμί Δέντρο
In Portuguese
Sourwood
Árvore de pão
In Polish
Sourwood
chleb Drzewo
In Latin
Sourwood
panis ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Equisetopsida
Order
Ericales
Cycadales
Family
Ericaceae
Cycadaceae
Genus
Oxydendrum
Encephalartos
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
-
Tribe
Oxydendreae
-
Subfamily
Vaccinioideae
-
Number of Species
166
1
27800
👆🏻