Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Palm or Cycad
Tree
Origin
South Africa
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas
Types
Alexandria cycad, Encephalartos caffer, Encephalartos concinnus
Aralia spinosa
Number of Varieties
661
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverbanks, Rocky areas, Scrubs
Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden Secondary
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-124-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Thicket/Colonizing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
290.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
240.00 cm460.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
White, Green, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Yellow, Green, Purple, Blue Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
bipinnate
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
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs very little water
Needs high amount of 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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
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
Aphids, Leaf spot, Mealybugs
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
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
Bees, Butterflies, Insects
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Borders, Woodland margins
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Shadow Tree, Windbreak
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Alterative, Analgesic, Diaphoretic, Opthalmic
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds, Stem
Bark, Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used as a potherb
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
ENCEPHALARTOS altensteinii
ARALIA spinosa
Common Name
Bread Tree, Prickly Cycad
American Angelica Tree, Devil's Walking Stick, Hercules' Club
In Hindi
Bread Tree
Devil's Walking Stick
In German
Brotbaum
Teufelsspazierstock
In French
Bread Arbre
Walking bâton du diable
In Spanish
Árbol del pan
Bastón del Diablo
In Greek
ψωμί Δέντρο
Περπάτημα Stick διαβόλου
In Portuguese
Árvore de pão
Vara andando de diabo
In Polish
chleb Drzewo
Diabelski laska
In Latin
panis ligno
Virgam diaboli
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Equisetopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cycadales
Apiales
Family
Cycadaceae
Araliaceae
Genus
Encephalartos
Aralia
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Aralioideae
Number of Species
6630
1
27800
👆🏻