Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Palm or Cycad
Perennial
Origin
South Africa
Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Canada, Mexico
Types
Encephalartos lebomboensis
Ratibida columnifera
Number of Varieties
1025
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Upland savannas
Dry areas, Prairies, Rocky areas, rocky outcrops
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-133-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
10-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 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
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
300.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Yellow, Purple, Burgundy, Light Green, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Orange, Orange Red
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long linear and narrow
Subulate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Light Frost
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs less watering
Average Water Needs, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Cycad weevils, Root Pathogen
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Light Frost
Drought, Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun
Flowers
-
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
pollinators
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Rhinitis
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Borders
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Analgesic
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Pine
Flowers
Other Uses
Traditional medicine
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used in making tea
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
Encephalartos lebomboensis
RATIBIDA columnifera
Common Name
Lebombo Cycad
Mexican Hat
In Hindi
Lebombo Cycad
Mexican Hat
In German
Lebombo Palmfarn
Mexican Hat
In French
Lebombo Cycad
Mexican Hat
In Spanish
Lebombo cícadas
mexican Hat
In Greek
Lebombo Cycad
Mexican Hat
In Portuguese
Lebombo Cycad
Mexican Hat
In Polish
Lebombo Cycad
Mexican Hat
In Latin
Lebombo Cycad
Mexicanus Hat
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Cycadophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Cycadopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cycadales
Asterales
Family
Cycadaceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Encephalartos
Ratibida
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
6614
1
27800
👆🏻