Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Palm or Cycad
Herbaceous Perennial
Origin
South Africa
-
Types
Alexandria cycad, Encephalartos caffer, Encephalartos concinnus
-
Number of Varieties
668
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverbanks, Rocky areas, Scrubs
meadows, Waterside Plantings, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-126-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
9-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 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
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
290.00 cm55.90 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
240.00 cm71.10 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Purple, Gold, Black
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Sword-like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, 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, Spring, Late Spring, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Rhizome division
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs very little water
Average Water Needs
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Pest Free
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Hummingbirds, Mammals
Allergy
-
allergic reaction, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Bog Garden, Cut Flowers, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Shadow Tree, Windbreak
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds, Stem
Bulbs, Flowers
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Bog Garden, Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
ENCEPHALARTOS altensteinii
IRIS 'Black Gamecock'
Common Name
Bread Tree, Prickly Cycad
Black Gamecock Iris, Black Gamecock Louisiana Iris
In Hindi
Bread Tree
Black Gamecock Iris
In German
Brotbaum
Black Gamecock Iris
In French
Bread Arbre
Black Gamecock Iris
In Spanish
Árbol del pan
Black Gamecock Iris
In Greek
ψωμί Δέντρο
Black Gamecock Iris
In Portuguese
Árvore de pão
Black Gamecock Iris
In Polish
chleb Drzewo
Black Gamecock Iris
In Latin
panis ligno
Black Gamecock Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Equisetopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cycadales
Asparagales
Family
Cycadaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Encephalartos
Iris
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
-
Iridoideae
Number of Species
6670
1
27800
👆🏻