Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Palm or Cycad
Grass
Origin
South Africa
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
Types
Alexandria cycad, Encephalartos caffer, Encephalartos concinnus
Turtlehead, Leadwort, Aster
Number of Varieties
661
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverbanks, Rocky areas, Scrubs
bottomlands, Thickets, Woods
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
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
290.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
240.00 cm50.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Brown, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Lemon yellow
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Gold, Tan, Bronze
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Needle like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Divison, From Rhizomes, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs very little water
Keep ground moist, Requires regular watering
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
Well drained
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Apply 10-10-10 amount, Fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Pests and diseases free
Plant Tolerance
Drought
-
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Rodents
Allergy
-
-
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 Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
ENCEPHALARTOS altensteinii
CHASMANTHIUM latifolium
Common Name
Bread Tree, Prickly Cycad
Indian Woodoats, Northern Sea Oats
In Hindi
Bread Tree
Northern Sea Oats
In German
Brotbaum
Northern Seehafer
In French
Bread Arbre
Northern Sea Oats
In Spanish
Árbol del pan
Avena del mar del Norte
In Greek
ψωμί Δέντρο
Βόρεια Θάλασσα Βρώμη
In Portuguese
Árvore de pão
Northern Sea Oats
In Polish
chleb Drzewo
Północna część Morza Owies
In Latin
panis ligno
Avene mari septentrionali
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Equisetopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Cycadales
Cyperales
Family
Cycadaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Encephalartos
Uniola
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Chasmanthieae
Subfamily
-
Panicoideae
Number of Species
662
1
27800
👆🏻