Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Palm or Cycad
Grass
Origin
South Africa
-
Types
Alexandria cycad, Encephalartos caffer, Encephalartos concinnus
Karl Feather Reed Grass
Avalanche
Eldorado
Overdam
Number of Varieties
663
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverbanks, Rocky areas, Scrubs
Forest margins, gardens, Grassland, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-125-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
9 - 5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
2b, 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
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
290.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
240.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Light brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Gold, Tan
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Long linear and narrow
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
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
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Pollution, Salt, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Spores
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove crossing or rubbing branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Pests and diseases free
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
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
Whole plant
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
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Cutflower, Foundation, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
ENCEPHALARTOS altensteinii
CALAMAGROSTIS x acutiflora
Common Name
Bread Tree, Prickly Cycad
Feather Reed Grass
In Hindi
Bread Tree
पंख ईख घास
In German
Brotbaum
Feather Reed Grass
In French
Bread Arbre
Feather Reed Herbe
In Spanish
Árbol del pan
Pluma Reed Hierba
In Greek
ψωμί Δέντρο
Αστραπή Reed Χόρτο
In Portuguese
Árvore de pão
Pena Reed grama
In Polish
chleb Drzewo
Pióro Reed trawy
In Latin
panis ligno
Pluma Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
-
Class
Equisetopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Cycadales
Poales
Family
Cycadaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Encephalartos
Calamagrostis
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Aveneae
Subfamily
-
Pooideae
Number of Species
66260
1
27800
👆🏻