STANGERIA ERIOPUS

Stangeria eriopus is the only species in this genus and is native to forests in South Africa.  The leaves more resemble a fern than a typical cycad.  It is most closely related to another cycad which branches, Bowenia, from Australia.  It is often described as having two forms: the grassland and the mountain form.  What I’ve found culturally with one batch of seeds is that there seems to be more variation plant to plant than from “variety to variety”.   Leaves are typically under three feet long but have been reported to get over five feet.  Leaflets are rounded at the end, sometimes have serrations and are soft to the touch.  I’ve not seen leaves much over three to four feet long.  Caudexes are small as well.  An eight inch caudex would be large.  They can cone when the caudex is four inches.  They like filtered light or part day sun right on the coast.  We’d found they tolerate temperatures of 24 to 25 degrees F. with no problem.  They are a very cute and small plant

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Phil Bergman

Owner at Jungle Music Palms & Cycads

Phil Bergman runs a nursery in San Diego County, Jungle Music. He writes articles on all sorts of palm, cycad, and tropical plants.

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