As always, beautiful, Steve.
It'll be interesting to see if that bowenia adjusts to a new hemisphere.
Well done!
Barb

Thanks Barb!
First time I've had one of these, so I'm sure to be taking way too many pictures 🙂

little further along,

Never too many pics.

I just noticed at 3:00 today that one of my two Nova Wilailak is starting a new flush. This is this particular Nova's second flush of the year. I know Steve has posted about these, but here is link for info....Seems as thou they are a VERY VERY hardy species and fast grower. The hardiness thing I still have to see, but the growth rate is second only to Taitungensis from what I have experienced. My twoo are softball size trunk and are both white trunks.
http://www.banana-tree.com/Product_Detail~category~2~Product_ID~18927.cfm

These are a nice Cycad, I've had new flushes on most that I ordered this year. All except one that was mangled in shipment, the root was broken off 2" below the caudex, ( the box looked like it was run over :|........ that one is still recovering.

I'm amazed how long the roots are on these, some on these seedlings were close to 6' long, ( probably their adaptation to growing on cliff faces)

Those are BEAUTIFUL, Steve.
Nice specimens.
The cliff face comment I'm sure is right on...there was a link somewhere that said cycad roots
grow in rock fissures. Even my Spinulosum arrived with a well-developed mass of roots as tall as
the plant.

Let us know if that crushed one fully recovers.
Bet it will with your TLC.
Barb

These are BY FAR my most favorite cycad. I just love these!!! Robert Chumley told me the story about how they were discovered, but I can not remember the story. 😳

So Steve tell me, are you too finding that these are some of the fastest growing cycads you have ever seen?

I really haven't had them long enough to compare, so far they have settled in nicely and seem to be happy. Have you added any lime to your mix? In habitat these are in limestone rich soils, they seem to do fine without but I'm thinking it might help enchance the trunk coloring.

The story I heard on these ~ The gentleman who first collected these seeds from the wild named this Cycad in honour of his wife. Also, there is some thought these are a variant of Cycas Petraea (In the end the taxonomist will end up having to sort this one out 🙂

I really haven't had them long enough to compare, so far they have settled in nicely and seem to be happy. Have you added any lime to your mix? In habitat these are in limestone rich soils, they seem to do fine without but I'm thinking it might help enchance the trunk coloring.

The story I heard on these ~ The gentleman who first collected these seeds from the wild named this Cycad in honour of his wife. Also, there is some thought these are a variant of Cycas Petraea (In the end the taxonomist will end up having to sort this one out 🙂

I have been thinking about stopping somewhere in the Flint Hills and scraping up some of that dirt (Limestone) and adding it but have been too lazy.
Yes, that IS the story. The varient from the Petraea is that the Nova were found on a hillside by the wife on a different mountain just minutes from where the Petraea are found.
I am in Wichita Thursday so I might be at your house on Friday.

The Bowenia is still chugging along,

For some reason the Dioon's have also started up again ( cooler nights now, some around 5C )

And a Cycas sp. 'Wilailak' too

The Bowenia's are both moving along now, interesting to watch how these branch 8)