Cycad
Ornamental trees and shrubs, Cycas (lat. Cycas) is a genus of gymnosperms in the Cycad family. Other names are Sago palms or Cycas.
According to some sources, the genus contains about 90 species, according to others — only 20 species. The natural range is Madagascar, Australia, India, China, Japan, Indonesia, as well as numerous islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. In Russia, cycad is grown only on the Black Sea coast; it is often used as an indoor crop. The plant is popularly known as Kaffir bread, Kaffir breadfruit, Kaffir bread. Such names reflect the value of the crop as a food source, because the core of the trunk and its bark contain large amounts of starch, used to produce sago grain.
Common types and their characteristics
Cycad is a low palm-shaped plant that is a magnificent decoration for gardens and indoor interiors. Cycad is a slow-growing crop; in a year of life it forms only one row of large leaves, the lifespan of which varies from 3 to 10 years, after which they die and fall off. The trunk is covered with segments coiled in a snail-like manner (much like ferns).
* Drooping cycad, or turned away cycad (lat. Cycas revoluta) — the species is represented by small grandiose decorative plants up to 2 m high (in nature, specimens up to 8 m high are found). The crown is miniature. The leaves are dark green and shiny. Yellow megasporophylls with bright red ovules look impressive against the background of green foliage.
*Cycas circinalis (lat. Cycas circinalis) — the species is represented by highly ornamental plants up to 5 m high. The leaves are elongated and leathery. The species is widely cultivated in subtropical and tropical gardens and parks.
*Tuara cycad (lat. Cycas thouarsii) — the species is represented by plants up to 10 m high. Very similar to curled cycad. The trunk is columnar, forked-branched in the upper part.
*Comb-shaped cycad (lat. Cycas pectinata) — the species is represented by low plants, distinguished by the peculiar division of megasporophyll plates.
*Cycas inermis (lat. Cycas inermis) — the species is represented by plants whose petioles do not have thorns (unlike other species). Megasporophylls of non-thorny cycad form a dense “collar”, seated with rich yellow seeds.
Growing conditions
Cycad is a heat-loving plant that develops well in intensely lit areas. A small amount of direct sunlight is allowed. Cycads grown indoors are placed on southeast or southwest windows. In hot weather, plants need shade from the midday sun.
The optimal temperature for development and growth in spring and summer is 20-25C, in winter — 12-14C. When cultivated in open ground, cycads tolerate lower temperatures. At elevated winter temperatures, plants shed their leaves. Cycad is a drought-resistant crop, but at temperatures above 25C it requires regular spraying. Indoor specimens are placed on pallets filled with wet gravel or pebbles.
Reproduction
There are two ways of propagating cycads — seed and vegetative. The seed method is used by breeders to breed new species, but if seeds appear in the arsenal, they are sown in pots filled with turf and leaf soil, peat, humus and sand in a ratio of 1: 1: 1: 1: 0. 5 or a purchased substrate intended for palm trees. It is important to ensure good drainage from the pebbles at the bottom of the pot. Crops must be kept at a temperature of 30-32C, providing regular moisture and ventilation. Shoots appear in 1-1. 5 months.
Further development of the seedlings progresses very slowly, the second leaf appears only after a year, subsequent leaves — one each year. If optimal growing conditions are observed, you can get two leaves at once in a year, but this phenomenon is extremely rare. Most often, the crop is propagated by the tops of trunks or suckers that appear at the main trunk. Root the tops and shoots in containers with the same soil mixture as for sowing seeds. When transplanting young plants, you should be very careful; it is not advisable to shake off the soil from the roots and wash it with water.
Care
Watering is moderate; the soil should not be over-moistened, since the root system of cycads is very sensitive to excess moisture. The substrate should not be allowed to dry out. For irrigation, it is recommended to use warm, settled water. The cycad needs systematic feeding, especially when growing the plant indoors. Spring-summer feeding — once every 2 weeks using liquid complex mineral fertilizers, autumn-winter — gradual reduction to a minimum and complete cessation. When growing cycads in open ground, 2-3 fertilizing with mineral and organic fertilizers is sufficient. Cycads are prone to pests and diseases. Most often, plants suffer from thrips and scale insects that settle on the trunk, petioles and leaves.
