Encephalartos

Family. Cycadaceae.

Origin: Central and Southern Africa. 

Description. The genus encephalartos contains about 60 species of plants. When young, encephalartos resembles a fern - it is characterized by a basal rosette of pinnate leaves, but with age, many species form a strong, powerful trunk covered with the remains of old leaves. Lateral shoots at the base of the trunk appear rarely. The leaves are green, silvery or blue-green, pinnate - consist of many narrow, linear, rigid segments. Inflorescences appear in the center of the leaf rosette and are orange, white or red cones resembling cones. The species is dioecious - male and female flowers are found on different specimens.

Height. In nature it grows up to 10 m. At home, young plants of more modest dimensions are kept.

Care at home

Temperature conditions

The bush can be kept all year round at a normal room temperature of about 20° C, but it is better to place it in a cool place during the dormant period so that it stops developing during the winter months.

Lighting

A brightly lit location with plenty of reflected light. In the evening and morning, encephalartos can take sun baths. To ensure the plant develops symmetrically, rotate the pot by ¼ turn every week. 

Care

Remove old yellowed or wilted leaves immediately. Leaves break easily - be careful when handling this flower and do not place it in passages and corridors.

Substrate

Well-drained, loose substrate. A mixture of peat, pine bark and coarse sand will do. The soil should have a slightly acidic pH. 

Feeding

Feed with water-soluble fertilizer at half strength every two weeks from early spring to mid-autumn. Likes organic fertilizers. 

Purpose

Encephalartos is a spectacular plant that looks great at any time of year.

Flowering time

Flowering occurs extremely rarely indoors. 

Air humidity

The air humidity should be on average 50%, and the bush should be kept in a well-ventilated room with constant air circulation. Place the pot on a tray filled with wet pebbles, or use a room humidifier. You can surround the pot with a layer of wet sphagnum or spray the leaves with soft water at room temperature. Spraying should be done in the morning so that the moisture evaporates from the plant before darkness sets in. During the winter dormancy period, if the plant is kept in a cool room, the air around it should be dry.

Soil moisture

During the growing season, water until the soil is completely wet, but allow the top layer of the substrate to dry out between waterings. In the fall, watering should become less frequent, and the substrate can dry out to half its depth before each subsequent watering. In the winter months, reduce the frequency of watering to a minimum. 

Transplantation

Encephalartos should be replanted only when necessary, using transshipment. Adult plants need to be replanted approximately every 2-3 years. In tub specimens, change the top 5-7 cm of soil annually with fresh soil.

Reproduction

It reproduces quite well by seeds or lateral shoots, but both the first and second methods require a long time.

Pests and diseases

Yellowing of leaves is caused by stagnant moisture at the roots and excessive watering, especially in autumn and winter.

Pests that can bother the flower include mealybugs and thrips.

Note

All parts of the plant are toxic. Encephalartos will live for many years at home, but with age it will need a lot of free space to develop. There are specimens that have reached the age of 100 years in culture.