(Palm)

Medium-sized palms that bear immense feathery leaves and highly prized oil-rich fruits, the two species in the genus Elaeis have both ornamental and agricultural value. They are native to the tropics of Africa and America.

These palms bear 20 to 40 huge, plumy, evergreen leaves atop a massive solitary trunk. Each frond has hundreds of narrowly lance-shaped, dark green leaflets, arranged in several planes along a stout midrib. The fronds are held on sturdy fibrous stems (petioles) that...

(African Oil Palm)

Bearing immense feathery leaves and highly prized oil-rich fruits, this medium-sized palm from tropical Africa has both ornamental and agricultural value.

Plants bear 20 to 40 huge, plumy, evergreen leaves atop a massive solitary trunk. Each frond has 200 to 300 narrowly lance-shaped, dark green leaflets, arranged in several planes along a stout midrib. The fronds are held on sturdy fibrous stems (petioles) that are heavily armed with tooth-like spines and long spine-like filaments. The woody...

(Variegated Angelica Shrub, Variegated Fiveleaf Aralia)

Imparting a lush tropical look to the temperate garden, variegated fiveleaf aralia's jagged, hand-like foliage upon arching stems is great for all types of garden soils and exposures! This multistemmed shrub with long thorns from eastern China has upright branches that will arch and flop once they reach an extended length.

The bright green leaves are palmate - looking like a hand with five tapering oval leaflets that have attractively jagged and ivory edges. They are arranged alternating on the...

(Bread Tree, Prickly Cycad)

Impressively elegant in stature, the numerous frond-like leaves of Encephalartos altensteinii are stiff and held outright, with dark glossy green leaflets held at an upright angle. Native to rocky hillsides in extreme southeastern South Africa, this slow growing cycad often suckers at its base, producing a clump with great age.

The trunk-like stem of the bread tree is a combination of dark brown, tan and black. It is rich in starch, and was traditionally used by natives. At the stem's...

(Zululand cycad)

Graceful and low in stature, the numerous frond-like leaves of Encephalartos ferox, the Zululand cycad, are stiff and held in an arching circle, with glossy green leaflets that have pronounced spines on their edges (which look like English holly leaves). Native to the coastal wooded grasslands of Mozambique and South Africa, this slow growing clumping cycad is considered one of the most admired of the African cycads; its species name of ferox means 'ferocious'.

Zululand cycad...

(Malawi Cycad)

Impressive in size and stature, the numerous frond-like leaves of Encephalartos gratus are stiff and held upright, with dark glossy green leaflets that have prickly spines on their edges. Native to the rocky slopes along streams in the deciduous forest of Mozambique and Malawi in central southern Africa, this slow growing cycad is considered one of the most beautiful of the African cycads; its species name of gratus means “pleasant.”

The trunk-like stem of the Malawi cycad is...

(Horrible Blue Cycad, Spiny Blue Cycad)

Architecturally splendid in stature, the numerous sharp silvery blue leaves of Encephalartos horridus, the horrible blue cycad, are stiff and held in an upright but slightly arching cluster. Native to the hot, sunny scrub and rocky ridges of the Eastern Cape of South Africa, this slow growing clumping cycad is considered one of the most admired of the African cycads; its species name of horridus means 'horrible' and hints of the experience with its foliage.

Horrible blue cycad...

(Karoo Cycad)

Architecturally handsome, the numerous sharp blue-green leaves of the Karoo cycad are stiff and held in an upright but slightly arching cluster atop a plump stem. Native to the hot, arid interior of the Eastern Cape of South Africa, this slow growing cycad is the cold hardiest and most drought tolerant of the African cycads.

Karoo cycad slowly forms a plump, upright, trunk-like stem that is beige. From the stem top is a circular rosette of upright blue-green leaves. Each stiff but curving leaf...

(Gorongowe Cycad, Rhodesian Cycad)

Impressively elegant in stature, the frond-like leaves of Encephalartos manikensis are stiff and gently arching, with medium green leaflets. Native to rocky hillsides in the highlands of Zimbabwe and Mozambique, this slow growing cycad has a trunk-like, rounded stem that will slowly reach waist height.

At the top of the Gorongowe cycad's stem is a circular rosette of long dark green leaves. Each leaf frond is ornately lined with medium to dark green slightly prickly leaflets. The leaflets...

(Lebombo Cycad, Xhosa)

Resembling a miniature date palm in appearance, the spiny, frond-like leaves of Encephalartos senticosus are stiff and upright, with dark green leaflets. Native to rocky slopes and cliffs in the Lebombo Range in northeastern South Africa, this slow growing cycad has a trunk-like, very thick stem that will slowly reach head-height.

At the top of the Lebombo cycad's stem is a circular rosette of long dark green leaves. Each leaf frond is ornately lined with medium to dark green leaflets...