Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Palm or Cycad
Tree
Origin
South Africa
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Texas
Types
Alexandria cycad, Encephalartos caffer, Encephalartos concinnus
Typical Red Buckeye, Yellow-flowered Red Buckeye
Number of Varieties
662
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverbanks, Rocky areas, Scrubs
Shady Edge, Woodland Garden Dappled Shade
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, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
290.00 cm370.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
240.00 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Yellow, Red, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Yellow, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Elliptic
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
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
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs very little water
Average Water Needs, Do Not over 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
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
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
Remove dead branches
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Leaf Blotch
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Shadow Tree, Windbreak
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cancer, Hypnotic, Odontalgic, Salve
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds, Stem
Seeds
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Grounded seed is used as a gruel, Used as a soap substitute
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break
Botanical Name
ENCEPHALARTOS altensteinii
AESCULUS pavia
Common Name
Bread Tree, Prickly Cycad
Red Buckeye
In Hindi
Bread Tree
Red Buckeye
In German
Brotbaum
Red Buckeye
In French
Bread Arbre
Red Buckeye
In Spanish
Árbol del pan
rojo castaño de Indias
In Greek
ψωμί Δέντρο
κόκκινο Buckeye
In Portuguese
Árvore de pão
Red Buckeye
In Polish
chleb Drzewo
Red Buckeye
In Latin
panis ligno
Red Buckeye
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Equisetopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cycadales
Sapindales
Family
Cycadaceae
Hippocastanaceae
Genus
Encephalartos
Aesculus
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Hippocastanoideae
Number of Species
6620
1
27800
👆🏻