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Encephalartos ferox
Also called Maputaland cycad, Tonga cycad, Tongaland cycad, Kozi Cycad
Encephalartos ferox is a small, stout cycad with a subterranean trunk and spine-tipped leaflets, native to coastal dunes and forest edges of southern Mozambique and KwaZulu-Natal. It is one of the most widely cultivated cycads; key to success is well-drained soil, plenty of water in the growing season, and warmth.
Encephalartos ferox, a member of the family Zamiaceae, is a small cycad with 35 cm wide subterranean trunk. It gets its name from the Latin word ferocious, likely from the spine-tipped lobes on the leaves of the plant. It is found naturally on the south-eastern coast of Africa where it has been used by local people for its starch content. It is considered to be one of the most popular cultivated cycads.
Cultivation is very popular among E. ferox since it can be grown fairly easily as long as there is plenty of water, well-drained soil, and moderate temperatures. It is not very tolerant to frost, and it is best suited in warmer regions. They can be propagated from both the seed and from the removal of suckers.
Humans have been known to obtain and consume starch that is found in the stem of E. ferox. It can be used by local people for starch content
E. ferox is found along the southern coast of Mozambique and in northern Natal and can be found very close to the ocean on white beach sand, often growing near other vegetation on the sand dunes. It is also found in evergreen forests. Its preferred habitat is very humid in the summer and rainfall amounts can range from 1,000 mm to 1,250 mm per year. The climate is more mild in the winter, and it is uncertain whether the species is ever exposed to frost.
Eastern Cape giant cycad · Eastern Cape blue cycad · Ground Cycad · Wood's cycad
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Encephalartos ferox by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
