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Zamia picta

This is a variegated Zamia from the Central American rain forest.

More info and photos; http://www.pacsoa.org.au/cycads/Zamia/picta.html

Seeds,
(will be cleaned, a heated soak for 24 hours, and then planted at a 1/4' depth)




Steve

After 3 weeks, first one is breaking the surface today, (these have been held between 85*F - 95f*F)





Steve

First leaves are already showing some spots





Steve

Man, that's quick, Steve!
Mine looks like that after 2 years, ha ha.
Barb

Barb,
I think a warm spot and indirect light will get these moving.

This one in a hanging planter, and a shady spot is growing the quickest.






Steve

Beautiful green color.

Mine now looks awful...when it's hot, it's hard to keep this guy from frying, even in only morning sun.
Otherwise it's not warm enough....AAAARGH!

Do these require loads of water?
Mine's in a clay pot which might be a mistake, getting dry from winds.

Barb

Barb,
In habitat, these are understory plants, hot, humid, and very little filtered sunlight.
Try keeping it out of direct sun, a hanging planter might help, it's usually a good 20* warmer up near the ceiling.

Steve

Hanging plants just aren't possible at my place.
Will put it behind another plant to get the minimum amount of sun.
Hope my leaves will turn greener again like yours.
Barb

Was potting one up today, photo showing caudex and root development.




Steve

Amazing below-soil development.
Seems to match what goes on above ground with cycads

Can just imagine how big a 20 year old plant's caudex is...
Barb

Looking good Steve.

Dean

Picked up some more seeds
These are the Guatemalan "Giant Form" ,with leaves that can reach up to 14' long in habitat.

Will treat these like the first set and see what happens!









Steve

Are some in the first set already germinating?
Or just remnants of where they were attached.

BTW the second ones resemble new potatoes
Barb

Hi Barb!

You are right, that is just the remnant of where they were attached to the cone.
Did you notice the dark band around the seed itself? These are the only Zamia sp. I've seen so far that have this.
(On the first photo in this post too, a little harder to see due to the resolution)


How is yours doing? Mine all ended up with two leaves last year, planted a couple in the GH, and left a couple in containers.



Steve

Hey Steve,
yes now that you pointed it out, that dark band is on each seed.
Will be interesting to see if the dark band proves to be a variegation in leaves as well.

My Zamia picta variegata is disappointing.
It's from 2005 and only has two leaves...period

Barb

Took two months for germination with the second batch, but it does look like almost all of them have started






Steve

Great, Steve!

You're a patient man...two months with optimum conditions.
Hard to achieve.
Will watch those with interest.

Barb

Barb,

Two months can be fast for a Cycad !
The slowest for me so far is a few Lepidozamias from last summer, took about six months to germinate.
One is working on it's third leaf, the others haven't even sent up their first leaf yet!
(maybe this year......


Steve

My cycads must've heard my complaints...they're flushing!

Here's the Zamia picta with a new leaf (sorry about poor pic).


And the furfuracea has recovered from its near-fatal drying of leaves by shooting up a foot tall new juvenile leaf.
thanks, everybody, for your tips on bringing it back to life.


Life is good...
Barb

Barb,

It's great to see that your Z.furfuracea has made a comeback!
Any spots apparent on your Z.picta leaves yet?




Steve

Thanks Steve.
I was feeling pretty sad about the furfuracea...but it came back with a vengeance

No spots, unfortunately, yet on the picta.

It'll happen when (if...grin) I turn 99 years of age
Barb

Here's the first one to emerge







Steve

Congrats Steve, you'll have a whole herd of them soon.
Barb

And here's the first leaves,






Steve

That looks just like mine...except mine is 2 years old
Well done!
Barb

Sending up some larger leaves now





Steve

That looks very strong indeed for such a young plant.

Mine has done NADA for ages...I should send it to you for its recuperation!
Too ugly to even photograph it.

Barb

I need to try some seeds this year how rewarding to grow your own palms. I'll probably try easier palms though, two month germination sounds a bit long for me. I'll try fillifera give it 90's and have a plant in a week !

Bill

Yup, Bill, cycads can be particular about culture, but their rarity and variety makes them so rewarding.

Having said that, though, seems I was able to germinate 4 cycas debaoensis and one panzhihuaensis, and absolutely ZILCH of the many palm seeds I bought.

Patience is important. Some palms and cycads can take up to a year to germinate, even in situ.

Barb