That is cool looking 8)

Resembles what I think a cross between C.taitungensis and C.bifida might look like, or maybe just a natural variant, or something else altogether ?

Curious to see what the answer is!

Steve

The cycad in the photo is definately branching and this is extemely a rare occurance.
However, I am going to refrain from further comment until more people have an opportunity to view this
post. If I were you, I would post this photo on the Yahoo Cycad Forum. Robert Chumley

They could probably use a diversion over there sinse Tom and his faithful Zombies
are trying to infer that I stole Taitungensis seed from Taiwan over 28 years ago and the fact that I donated
over 800 seed to these forums to be given away free to their members , instead of donating them to the Cycad Society.
Sorry, but somtimes I have to vent, sinse they have blocked me from posting on their site to defend myself.
signed "The most well known poacher of the later half of the twentieth century" (quote from Tom Broome) to their 800 members on their biased web site.

Robert, you are always going to have "haters" when you provide such a great product for a much cheaper prise than what he (Tom) does.

HOWEVER, NOW YOU HAVE ME WORRIED!!!!! With my history, I am TERRIFIED that I will kill this tree now, especially after you tell me it is a very rare thing.
Are there any suggestions, or should I actually try to box it up and send it to you for safer keeping and better growing conditions????

Just grow it like you normally would do , Wes. Just get as many people to comment on it as posible.You may wish to post it on several
forums to get to the people who share a common knowledge of cycads and could make an intelligent comment on this phenomonon.

Bob, I am truly sorry you feel this way. But as a co-moderator of the "cycad" Yahoo group, please allow me to set the record straight. You were blocked from the group for posting allegations about numerous people in the cycad community, not because someone was trying to prevent you from defending yourself. In response to your first comment below, no one on that group has implied that you stole any seed from Taiwan. Furthermore, your other comments (sadly) come across as nothing more than vindictive and spiteful.

Based on numerous posts that I have read on this forum, it is obvious that there are several people here who hold you in high regard -- but if I were to refer to them as "faithful Zombies," would you not agree that would be extremely disrespectful and downright false? On the other hand, I am glad that you have taken it upon yourself to provide quality plants at fair prices, and that you are willing to come onto this forum to offer tips and pointers for growing them. As you may know, "conservation through propagation" is one of the primary goals of many of us in the cycad community that hold the plants in higher regard than making a profit. And whether you care to admit it or not, Tom Broome is definitely one of those people.

Jody

--- chumleycycad.com wrote:

They could probably use a diversion over there sinse Tom and his faithful Zombies
are trying to infer that I stole Taitungensis seed from Taiwan over 28 years ago and the fact that I donated
over 800 seed to these forums to be given away free to their members , instead of donating them to the Cycad Society.
Sorry, but somtimes I have to vent, sinse they have blocked me from posting on their site to defend myself.
signed "The most well known poacher of the later half of the twentieth century" (quote from Tom Broome) to their 800 members on their biased web site.

Jody, WELCOME!!!!
Jody, can you please tell us who is responsable for bringing the Asian Scale that is killing most of the cycad population in Florida, to America?
I have always been curious.

It is my understanding that the cycad aulacaspis scale (CAS) was first detected in Miami, Florida, in the mid-1990s on some plants that had been collected by a local botanical garden during an expedition to Vietnam. At that time, very little was known about the insect or its potential to do harm. It obviously escaped the garden setting, and within a few years it had spread throughout the greater Miami area... and by that time it was too late to contain it. It has since spread throughout the southeastern U.S. and into Texas, California, Hawaii, and several Caribbean islands. Sadly, it has also been spread to Guam and Taiwan, which are home to native populations of Cycas micronesica and C. taitungensis, respectively -- where is has wrought havoc on the unsuspecting native cycads. Most of the movement of this pest has been on infected plants of C. revoluta being sold to large chain stores.

As the chair of the Invasive Pests Subgroup of the World Conservation Union - IUCN/Species Survival Commission's Cycad Specialist Group, I have made a concerted effort to track the spread of this pest worldwide and to assemble as much information as possible about it in one location. I have also created a page outlining global efforts being made to control CAS. Please feel free to peruse these sites (provided below), and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions.

http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/sgs/csg/pages/CAS.htm
http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/sgs/csg/pages/CAS-efforts.htm

Jody

I should add that only cycads in the genera Cycas, Bowenia, and Stangeria seem to be significantly affected by CAS, and it has been brought under control in some areas.

By "population" I assume you are not referring to natural populations of our only native cycad, the Florida coontie... as those have not been affected by this pest. Other cycads in cultivation have also not been adversely affected, and there are still lots of growers down here in FL -- including Bob Chumley.

Honest (and serious) question for Bob and anyone else sending cycads by mail: Are you treating all of the Cycas, Bowenia, and Stangeria seedlings and plants that you are shipping to buyers around the country for CAS in an effort to prevent further spread? If so, how are you treating them?

--Kansas wrote:

<snip> that is killing most of the cycad population in Florida <snip>

Mr. Haynes,
Welcome, and thanks for stopping by !
I am rather fortunate there is no CAS host present in the local ecosystem, ( besides my green house 😀

Most of mine are from seed, but I do order some at times... Besides due diligence by the grower, are there any treatments that can be applied as a preventative measure ?

Steve

virtualpalm: "It is my understanding that the cycad aulacaspis scale (CAS) was first detected in Miami, Florida, in the mid-1990s on some plants that had been collected by a local botanical garden during an expedition to Vietnam. At that time, very little was known about the insect or its potential to do harm. It obviously escaped the garden setting, "

Would you mind telling us which "botanical garden" it was and who was in charge of it?

Thanks, Steve.

Tom Broome has been doing some excellent work with used coffee grounds and second-brewed coffee for controlling scale and other insect pests on cycads, and he has an article on this in the December 2007 issue of the Cycad Newsletter -- which, BTW, is a wonderful 30th anniversary triple issue. I will be posting a PDF version of this article on the TCS website (www.cycad.org) this week, so you may want to go there and read about it.

As an incentive to increase membership, we are giving away a free copy of our 30th anniversary issue to anyone joining (or renewing) and paying dues for three years.

Jody

--Knnn (Steve) wrote:

<snip> Besides due diligence by the grower, are there any treatments that can be applied as a preventative measure ?

Out of curiosity, what would be the purpose of asking this question?

--Kansas wrote:

Would you mind telling us which "botanical garden" it was and who was in charge of it?

I recall hearing of Mr. Broome's preliminary work with this concept, looking forward to seeing the article 8)

Steve