This Dioon has been going all summer, and still going............

Just a seedling still, but has developed 5-6 growing points 8)

Steve

Seems like an unusual trait, doesn't it?
I think it's fabulous...can you just imagine how WIDE that will be as it matures?

Might be a not-forgotten response to animals chewing on it zillions of years ago. Very cool!

Then there's mine...hasn't done bugger all this summer.
Oh well.
Barb

Hi Barb, Unusual by clustering at an early age, and you're right, I think it's going to be a large plant too.

Not much growth from yours this year? How did everything else do?

Steve

Steve, while this phenomenon is not common among clustering species, it is also not all that unusual. Some plants just tend to sucker more (and/or at an earlier age) than others. As you can see from the photo below, I once had a very small seedling of Dioon angustifoliumthat started to form a sucker.

And here are a couple photos of a heavily suckering D. edulegrowing in a yard here in Miami that just happens to have brick-red emergent leaves.

These latter photos are several years old now. This particular plant currently has a spread of around 8 feet and a multi-headed caudex that is more than 3-1/2 feet in diameter.

While many people prefer a single stem or fewer suckers, I find both growth forms interesting in their own right.

Jody

Hi Jody, Thanks for the photos, the red emergent Dioon is stunning !

Here is mine from April of last year,

It does seem well determined to spread out 😆

I like the look of multi stemmed plants, the Cycas revoluta specimens at the Japanese temples are great examples.

This is a 1903 photo from Myokoku-ji, Osakafu, still there, and reported to be 1100 years old.

Steve

Speaking of large, old Cycas revoluta... here is one in the University of Naples Botanical Garden (with my wife for scale). I have no idea how old it is.

Jody

Nice! Any clues to the provenance?

Steve

Unfortunately, I did not see a tag. I could probably contact them and see about getting some info about the plant.

Jody

Jody, Thanks, but no need for the bother, just curiosity on my part.
It's nice to see such a large older specimen so well cared for 8)

Steve

Great photos, thanks Steve and Jody.

Mine are likely waiting for winter indoors to do their magic 😕
They seem to have hated our windy hot summer.
Barb

Had a trace of snow last weekend, and still a few things growing 8)

Cycas sp. 'Wilailak' seding up a small flush, (3-4 fronds)

Brown emergent Zamia amblyphyllidia,

Zamia floridana X furfuracea, some of these have a nice red emergent color,

Dioon edule

Steve

Wow that Wilailak caudex has sure expanded.

There's something spectacular about that Dioon edule leaf flushing...are there more leaf segments than others?
Might be just my imagination.

Great closeup pics.
Barb

Hi Barb, The "Wilailak"s have done good ! They are in the GH year round now (took a couple outside last year, the wind here was not kind to them)
You're right about the Dioon, this one's at the stage where every leaf is bigger than the last.

Steve

Happy to say this Cycas revoluta finally is sending up new leaves.
Two or three months ago it wasn't doing ANYTHING, so I cut all the leaves off.
It just got stubborn I guess.

I thought it was a goner.
But I remembered you and Tom Broome saying "never give up on a cycad".

My old C.revoluta with the pups is still doing fine.

Barb

Looking good Barb, They definitely have their own schedules 😆

I was quoting Mr. Broome's article, here's a link for anyone who may not have seen it.

http://www.plantapalm.com/vce/horticulture/neverthrowaway.htm

And a link to the Virtual Cycad Encyclopedia,

http://www.plantapalm.com/vce/toc.htm

Steve