Ceratozamia sabatoi

Common name: Cycad
                                                
Special Notes: Very rare. The high elevation Ceratozamias add a tropical look to warm temperate gardens. Fern-like in form but with leathery leaves, this species grows very well in the Bay Area. In the wild, it frequently grows under pines in the Sierra Madre Oriental. It is threatened by agricultural development, even in National Parks, but it does occur in two protected areas and is not endangered. These plants were grown from seed produced by Tim Gregory from plants who’s parents now reside in the Huntington Garden.
 
Family: Zamiaceae
Native to: Central eastern Mexico
Form: Palm-like, single or multiple trunks, spines on leaf petiole, new leaves red-brown, mature leaves dark green, leathery and soft.
Size: Trunks mostly underground, cantaloupe-sized, leaves to 2 ft., leaflets lance shaped, ¾ inch wide, 6-8 inches long.
Flowers: Separate male and female plants, produce medium sized red-brown cones in the leaf crown, cones have two short spines on each cone scale
Light: Shade to morning sun.
Water: Regular water and fertilizer in summer, winter rain is no problem.
Hardiness: Upper 20’s
Soil: Not particular but needs good drainage.