This species is endemic to the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa. These regions are arid and subject to semi-regular fires (evidenced by the scorched and blackened trunks). Plants grow in sunny locations. This species is small to medium sized. Leaves are approximately one meter long. Stems are stout and can get up to a height of four meters over a few centuries. E. friderici-guilielmi is primarily a solitary stemmed plant but can make some basal suckers. This is a beautiful, fine leafed and blue cycad. They are moderate growers and are an easy size to manage in the garden. The leaves are unarmed, and are not pokey. This species tends to be very cold hardy as well tolerant of heat. Cold tolerance is down to about 20 degrees F. This cycad also needs a soil that drains well. They can get into rot problems if the soil stays too moist. As this is not a large cycad, I would place it in the foreground of a planting. We’re putting on Sale a 15 gallon plant that is about twelve years old and has a caudex of 4 inches. This plant can be mail ordered in a big box.
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