Editing Lepidozamia Cultivation

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Both species are very easy and rewarding subjects of
cultivation. In my nursery I have hardly ever lost even a
seedling and, while their growth is somewhat slow at first
and if you have the patience to wait a few years once they
begin to produce several leaves at a time it does not take
long to produce a very beautiful specimen. They will tolerate
poor drainage better than many other cycads but when a good
oxygen supply is available to the roots growth and appearance
is much improved.

Fresh seeds take about 6 months to germinate and some may
take as long as one year. It may take some months more for
the first leaf to appear so it will be a couple of years at
least to get a seedling with three or four leaves.
Germination is easy if seeds are mixed with some slightly
moist vermiculite in a plastic container or bag, sealed to
retain moisture. Seeds may be potted into 140 mm pots as soon
as the radicle appears. Potting mix should preferably not
contain sawdust and certainly no poultry manure or soil.
I personally find that the somewhat heavy soil in my garden
means that seedlings do better in pots than in the garden
until they are reasonably large.

''[[Lepidozamia peroffskyana]]''
prefers light shade and tolerates full sun quite well but
does not make satisfactory growth in dense shade.
''[[Lepidozamia hopei]]'' is more tolerant of shade but does not like
full sun. Of the two species ''L. peroffskyana'' is much
more cold tolerant being undamaged even when exposed to
direct frost down to -6&#176; C. ''L. hopei'' has in my
nursery happily survived temperatures below zero night after
night even when subzero temperatures were experienced for
periods exceeding 12 hours at a time to -4&#176; C but under
some overhead protection. Daytime temperatures would then go
to 16-20&#176; C.

Mature plants in my garden have
leaves to 2.5 m long, caudex over 300mm wide and high but
still have not toned. One specimen recently potted from a
400mm to 500mm container has a flush of leaves of 15 at a
time each year. Leaves are 1.7 m long, and the caudex is
250mm across. The larger ones in the garden gain 50-60mm in
height of stem each year. Once plants produce more than three
leaves at a time there generally is a flush of new leaves
only once per year. When new leaves appear plants need plenty
of moisture or the new leaves will droop, then harden and
this produces leaves with kinks in the rachis. (O.K. if you
like kinky things).

Plants do well inside but watch very carefully for the
appearance of scale. They can quickly ruin a nice plant but
are easily removed by hand. When new leaves appear plants
should be placed in bright light so leaves do not elongate
too much. Be careful hardening leaflets do not touch anything
to push them out of line - once they harden they will retain
whatever shape they are in at the time of hardening.
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===Contributed by: ===
Will Kraa (from '''Palms & Cycads''' No 39. Apr-Jun 1993)


===External Links:===
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[[Category:Lepidozamia|Cultivation]]
[[Category:Cycad|Lepidozamia_Cultivation]]