Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Palm or Cycad
Perennial
Origin
South Africa
California
Types
Alexandria cycad, Encephalartos caffer, Encephalartos concinnus
-
Number of Varieties
661
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverbanks, Rocky areas, Scrubs
Chaparral, River side
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-127-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
290.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
240.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
White, Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green, Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs very little water
Needs watering once a week, Water well when planted
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove crossing or rubbing branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
prune nearly to the ground in late fall
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Verticillium Wilt
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
-
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Shadow Tree, Windbreak
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
antimicrobial, Astringent, Gum Problems, Stomach pain
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds, Stem
Flower Stalk
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Feature Plant, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
ENCEPHALARTOS altensteinii
ROMNEYA coulteri
Common Name
Bread Tree, Prickly Cycad
Matilija Poppy
In Hindi
Bread Tree
Matilija Poppy
In German
Brotbaum
Matilija Poppy
In French
Bread Arbre
Matilija Poppy
In Spanish
Árbol del pan
Matilija amapola
In Greek
ψωμί Δέντρο
Matilija παπαρούνας
In Portuguese
Árvore de pão
Matilija Poppy
In Polish
chleb Drzewo
Matilija Poppy
In Latin
panis ligno
Matilija Poppy
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Equisetopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cycadales
Papaverales
Family
Cycadaceae
Papaveraceae
Genus
Encephalartos
Romneya
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Papaveroideae
Number of Species
662
1
27800
👆🏻