Dioon edule arrived today!

[macario]

Thank you VERY much Robert!!! It arrived today in perfect condition. I have a few questions of course. The first is what is the size pot would you recommend I put this grand daddy dioon in ? Also Do you think I should use a sand / potting soil mix and should I ad any pea gravel to the mix?

<img src="http://inlinethumb46.webshots.com/29165 ... 500Q85.jpg" alt="P1101371">

I counted 35 leaves on it.

<img src="http://inlinethumb43.webshots.com/29098 ... 500Q85.jpg" alt="dioon">

[lucky1]

that's a beaut, macario!
Will you be keeping it indoors this first winter?
or into winter protection outside?
Barb

[macario]

Barb I want to pot it up and only take it out in the summer, If I find a good spot I may put it in the ground but thats a big IF.

[Kansas]

Robert will probably come on here to tell you what to put it in, but in case he doesn't...
All my cycads from Robert, since they were growing in his Florida soil, I always put them in a potting mixture of Cactus soil X Palm Soil at a rate of 3 to 1. All my Cycads & Dioons from Robert seem to love that mixture.
AWESOME Dioon!!!!!!!!!
BTW, was your getting it from him off advise from me? I hope so as I really think Bob is the best person in this hobby I have ever met. He is simply a credit to his life long passion of Cycad & Dioons. And when I can turn someone on to his stuff, I feel not only like I helped Robert spread his knowledge and name, but I also feel like helped another person gain a friend in him.

[chumleycycads.com]

Mike, I liked all your suggestions for a potting soil medium.....and I like Wes' soil also. As long as it's well drained , It doesn't take much to grow an Edule. I dug this Edule about 34 years ago in Central Mexico on a trip with Larry Bussell, whom they are now naming a plant "Zamia Bussellii" ........ Now that is a "BEAUTIFUL CYCAD" Anyway, your new "Dioon Edule Variety Augustifolium" is over 100 years old.....it hasn't grown much sinse I dug it 34 years ago. It is holding an inordinately large quantity of leaves on a 11-12 inch diameter trunk with a 28 inch circumference. Edules usually hold about 14-18 leaves at most. Edules will take a lot of cold .......down into the mid teens, but I wouldn't trust Chicago temperatures. It won't put up additional leaves until Spring (unless you give it bottom heat) so I would keep it inside til Spring. Don't give it water very often, but plenty when you do......... in that well drained mixture. These are my suggestions. Robert Chumley

[chumleycycads.com]

Thanks for the beutiful Variegated Ae Ae bananas. They just arrived via Fed X and they look very good. I will plant them tomorrow in the interior section of my Estate where I have my "Siam Ruby" banana that is a solid red. Soon I will have banana "pups" or "corms" on all of them. Just planted a lot of New Guinea palms and rare cycads and bromeliads and tree ferns in that same area. I hope we continue to get this 60's at night and the mid eighties during the days. These are prime growing conditions.......wouldn't you say? Robert Chumley

[lucky1]

Cool that it's 100 years old...
Wow!

Nice to get the provenance from Mr. Chumley!
Barb

[macario]

I really appreciate all your help and information. I am glad you like those banana plants. The area you are developing sounds like its going to be beautiful and I look forward to seeing it in person the next time I am in florida. I hope to get 2 even larger cycads from you, I am going to devote an area in my yard to a few cycads and maybe a tree fern and a few other items. I will not leave them out in the winter I will bring them in every fall. Its been a while since I have been excited for buying or recieving something new.

And thanx Kansas!

And Barb yeah thats cool right! I think I will have a very small plant sign next to the base of my new Dioon with all the info Robert just gave me on it. I was planning on getting those plant signs for everything growing in my yard this year with the botanical name and common name.

[lucky1]

macario

Its been a while since I have been excited for buying or recieving something new.

Cycads'll do that to you...

Now we just have to figure out WHO to bequeath them to in our wills
Barb