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Cycad ramblings, plug for buying at Joe's.

On Tue, 27 May 1997, Ashley Howarcl[ny][none] wrote:

>   Cycad is a catch all name for a number of different species of which the
> Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta) is only one, albeit the best known one. It
> appears that your shoplights were not bright enough to sustain your palms
> and they are in decline. You should try to save these living relics from
> the dinasaur age before you throw in the towel. We are at the beginning of
> anohter growing season. My small cycad has put out two leaves, that is
> probabably all that it will produce this year. My much larger Cycad has
> not done much of anything except give me painful pricks in the shins when
> I stand close to it to reach smaller plants on the windowsill. Put your
> plants in better light and hope for the best. I doubt bugs are the problem
> Cycads are such tough leaved critters, still a good thorough once over is
> warranted. Good luck.

	The above is a good overview of the fact that all sago palms are
cycads, but not all cycads are sago palms.  My experience with them is a
mixture of limited and long term, in that I was a student worker (mainly
waterer) in a university greenhouse for 2.5 years, and we grew about
twenty of these.  I think that it is almost certainly true that
fluorescent tubes alone will not grow them well.  I would imagine that for
a decent-sized cycad, say with a 1 meter leaf span, one would need at
least a six tube fixture, just to maintain it, and to maybe grow it a
little.  

	This is just a guess, but based in part on the fact that people
grow then in their front yards in Southern California, in full sun. 
Incidentally, they also have a problem with theft in many places, and I
have seen photos of people chaining their cycad to the ground, or to the
house.  Since they are such slow-growing plants, large ones are valuable. 
We grew ours (in a foggy part of foggy San Francisco) on the tops of the
benches, where they would get the most light we could provide (most wont
grow outdoors in our cool climate).  Even with this light, we didn't get
very good flowering, but that may have been due to other variables.  Worse
even than having the needle
sharp leaf tips stick our shins, these would get us in the _head_.   It
was an intense kind of pain, all out of proportion to the actual physical
trauma.  The never drew blood, but the pain felt like going into a very
bried episode of shock.  Fortunately for us, it was over nearly as quickly
as it began.  

	One more observation.  Althought the leaves are tough, these
plants are not impervious to pest insects, even though it seems that they
would be.  Some of our plants were constantly infested with foliar mealy
bugs, were veritable mealybug "factories" it seemed.  They sinister
suckers were usually on the undersided of the leaf blades, and the
junction of the leaves and the stem.  Our spray and other control program
was nearly nonexistant, though, so I am not sure how hard it would have
been to control the infestations well.

	People who really want to grow one of these true "living fossils"
in their house should not be discouraged, I know that it can be done. 
Just give them as much light as possible and perhaps ask around as to
species (and hybrids?) which are best suited to your conditions.  

	Joe's Nursery in Vista, CA offers around 70 spp. and hybrids (yes,
I see that hybrids do exist, upon checking their catalog) in 8 or 9
genera.  Prices range from $6 to $25, with lots of choices in the $10
range.  I have raved about this mail order nursery before, and I think
that I did so on this list.  Very fast service, and high quality plants,
on both of my orders of stapeliads from them.  They also sell palms,
ferns, cacti, aloes (100+ types), epiphyllums, agaves, sanseverias (ah,
now I remember what move me to recommend them before, it was during a
discussion of this genus), and many other succulents.  They also sell
bromeliads, yuccas, and a big listing of "rare trees, shrubs, perannials,
etc.".  Plants for both indoors and outdoors, and went they offer a plant
type, they _really_ offer it.  With the exception of the last, catch-all
category, each of the listings for a particular plant type features an
extensive listing, of never fewer than 20 types, often 100 or more.  The
owners are obviously passionate collectors.  Just looking at their catalog
makes me want to place another order, but I just mailed off an order to
Lauray's of Salisbury (more on that nursery some other time).

	I can't remember if their catalog is free, or if if costs a dollar
or two.  At any rate, they have an e-mail address and a web site, so
interested parties may inquire directly.

e-mail:  ExoticLvs@aol.com

web site:  http://members.aol.com/exoticlvs

mailing address:  PO Box 1867, Vista CA 92085-1867 



Cordially,

Keith Dabney
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