Whitelock's Cycad

Whitelock's Cycad (Encephalartos whitelockii) is a collector's plant that reads as living sculpture. It builds to about 2m of trunk and 2.5m across over decades, carrying a rigid crown of long blue green fronds that hold their shape in wind and heat. Growth is very slow, which is why a specimen of any size costs what it does, and why it stays in proportion once placed.

Why you'll love it

• Architecture that needs no maintenance. A symmetrical crown of stiff fronds holds its form year round, with nothing to prune, deadhead or shape.
• Slow enough to be permanent. New fronds come in a flush every year or two, so the plant you place is close to the plant you keep.
• Genuinely tough. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant and comfortable in humidity once the caudex has established.
• Rarity you can see. A Ugandan species seldom offered in Australia, and the sort of plant a designed garden is built around.

Where it works best

Feature planting. One plant in an open bed, uplit at night, does more for a garden than a dozen shrubs. Allow a full 3m circle so the fronds are never brushed against.

Pots and containers. A wide, heavy pot at least 600mm across suits it, in a gritty free draining mix. Container growing slows it further and keeps it portable, which matters in cooler gardens.

Rockeries and dry gardens. Set among boulders with a gravel mulch it looks at home.

Growing Whitelock's Cycad in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the tightest, most upright crown. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens and takes light frost only, so cold inland and southern gardens need it potted and moved under cover for winter.

Soil. Sharp drainage above everything else: a gritty sandy loam in the ground, or a cactus grade mix in pots. Wet feet through winter rot the caudex, and that damage cannot be undone.

Water and feed. Water deeply but infrequently, letting the soil dry between drinks, and cut right back in the cool months. A slow release fertiliser once in spring is enough, because cycads take what they need slowly.

Handling and safety. All parts of a cycad are highly toxic to people, cats, dogs and livestock if eaten, and even a small amount causes serious liver damage. Plant it where pets and children do not browse, and wear gloves, because the frond tips are sharp.

What to expect when it arrives

Two sizes are grown: 45L and 90L. Both are established plants with a formed crown rather than seedlings, and the 90L carries noticeably more trunk. Nothing about a cycad happens quickly, so buy the size you want to look at, not the size you hope will catch up.

They travel well, because the fronds are rigid and the plant carries its own water reserve. A frond marked in transit is replaced at the next flush rather than repaired. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, minimum order of $300 before delivery, and 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

• Read the cycad care guide for watering, feeding and frond management.
• Browse exotic and rare plants for other collector specimens.
• Compare architectural plants for a designed garden.
• Find companions in the rockery plant range.

Common questions

Is it safe around pets?

No. Every part of the plant, and the seed especially, is highly toxic to cats, dogs and livestock, and ingestion is a veterinary emergency. If your dog chews plants, this is not the right choice for your garden.

How fast does it grow?

Very slowly. Expect one flush of new fronds a year in a warm garden, sometimes only one every two years, and trunk height measured in decades rather than seasons.

Why are the older fronds going yellow?

A cycad sheds its oldest ring of fronds as a new flush hardens, which is normal. Yellowing across the whole crown at once points to overwatering or poor drainage instead.