Tongaland Cycad

The Tongaland cycad (Encephalartos ferox) is one of the most sculptural plants you can put in a garden, holding at about 1.5m tall and 2m across after many years. Its leaves are rigid and deeply toothed, arranged in a symmetrical rosette that looks deliberate from every angle. Mature plants push bright red cones out of the crown instead of flowers. It comes from the coastal dunes of south east Africa, which is why salt, wind and heat barely register.

Why you'll love it

• It works as architecture. The stiff, glossy, holly-like leaflets hold their form year round, so one plant anchors a bed the way a boulder would.
• Red cones you will not see elsewhere. Established specimens produce vivid scarlet cones from the centre of the crown, the reason this species is so sought after.
• Genuinely coastal. Salt tolerant, drought tolerant once established, and comfortable in both humidity and dry heat.
• Nothing to maintain. No pruning, no shaping, no spraying schedule. Cut off the old fronds once a year and that is the job done.

Where it works best

Feature planting. Give it a clear 2m of space in an open bed, in gravel or low groundcover, and let the form do the work. Crowding it with shrubs wastes the plant.

Poolside and courtyards. The foliage is clean and it does not shed constantly, so it suits a pool surround. Keep it back from paths and seating, because the leaf margins are sharply spined.

Large pots and rockeries. Sharp drainage suits it, which makes a big pot or a raised rockery pocket an easy home in a garden with heavy soil.

Growing Tongaland cycad in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun produces the tightest, most compact crown, though it accepts part shade with longer leaves. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It handles light frost only, so cold inland, tableland and southern gardens should grow it in a pot that can be moved under cover for winter.

Soil. Free draining, sandy or gritty soil is essential. On clay, plant high on a raised mound and open the bed up with coarse sand and gravel. Wet feet in winter is the one thing that reliably kills a cycad.

Water and feed. Deep soak every ten to fourteen days through the first two summers, then only in extended dry spells. A slow release palm and cycad fertiliser in early spring is all the feeding it needs.

Pruning and growth rate. It is slow, adding a flush of new leaves once a year or so. Cut spent fronds off close to the trunk when they yellow, and wear gloves.

What to expect when it arrives

It is offered in one size, a 110L pot. That is an advanced specimen with a formed trunk and a full crown, representing many years of growing, so it arrives as the finished plant rather than a start on one. It is heavy, so plan for two people and a trolley on delivery day.

Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Our full cycad care guide
• Architectural plants for designer gardens
• Plants that suit a pool surround
• Browse exotic and rare plants

Common questions

Is it safe around dogs?

No. All parts of a cycad, and the seed in particular, are highly toxic to dogs, and a small amount can cause liver failure. If your dog chews plants, choose something else.

How fast does it grow?

Slowly, which is why advanced plants cost what they do. Expect one flush of new leaves a year in warm conditions and very little visible trunk growth.

Will it survive frost?

Light frost only. A brief touch of cold does little harm in a sheltered spot, but repeated hard frosts will damage the crown, so cold districts should keep it potted and protected.