Encephalartos Species, Drakensberg Cycad

This is a relatively rare, and very slow growing cycad in cultivation. It has thin, somewhat fuzzy but very stiff, non-toothed leaflets ...Read Moreclosely spaced along the leaves. Some confuse this with E cycadifolius, which has slightly wider, shorter leaflets with less fuzz on them. There are two forms of this species: Drakensburg, which is the larger 'classic' form, and Cape Providence (or Transkei form, from lower elevations), which is an even woolier, twisted leaf form. This species is one of the more cold tolerant cycads able to handle some freezing temperatures and even snowy conditions. However, it cannot tolerate high humidity, and doesn't even seem to like high temps when the humidity is low (though many specimens are growing and seem healthy in southern California where the temps do go above 100F now and then). This is a difficult cycad to transplant, and so slow to grow... and that is why it is so rare in cultivation. From South Africa