PlantFiles: Bamboo Cycad
Ceratozamia hildae

These are excellent plants for Florida and throughout the southeast. Plants I sent to Zilkor BG in Austin had no leaf damage at 12F. They grow quite fast and will mature in 5 years from seed. They prefer to be in some shade to oook their best, but can tolerate at least a half day of sun and still look decent. Cones are produced in early to late spring and the cones fall apart about a year from pollination. The seeds should be cleaned and stored for another 4 to 6 months before they are planted, because it takes that long for the embryos to become full size.

Ceratozamia hildae is native to Mexico (San Luis Potosi, and Queretaro), where it grows in forests in heavy clay soil and amoung limestone rocks.

Ceratozamia are listed on CITES Appendix I.

By far, this cycad is the most vigorous grower in my collection. It prefers shade to look its best, and responds to cycad fertalizer and lots of water. Increadible plant...first to flush of all my cycads, and still had hardening leaves late into fall.

This is a unique Ceratozamia with 'bow-tie' arranged leaflets (in clumps along the petioles). It has lime-green leaves and is a fast and vigorous grower. It is also one of the more easily obtained species of Ceratozamia around Southern California. It is a clumper/suckerer and, with time, will eventually grow like a large bush with many caudeces in a circle around the orignal one. Like other Ceratozamias, this one is from Mexico.