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| Category: Cycad |
| Family: Cycadaceae (Cycads) |
| Origin: South Africa (Africa) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: NA |
| Bloomtime: Infrequent |
| Height: 4-8 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 30-32° F |
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Encephalartos lehmannii (Karoo Cycad) - A clump forming medium-sized evergreen cycad with a trunk that can grow 4-6 feet tall and 1 1/2 feet across but is usually seen in cultivation as a plant that, overall, is 4-5 feet tall. The leaves are slightly recurved at the tip. The 3-6 inch long leaflets are blue-gray when young, and darken greener with age. It has low water needs and is hardy to 25-30 degrees F. Its native habitat is the semi-arid sandstone slopes of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa where it experiences very hot and dry conditions in summer months and cold and wet conditions in winter. Frosts are common in this area. This is one of the most frost hardy of the Encephalartos that we grow. A large plant in an exposed site in our garden has withstood 26° F without any damage. In cultivation this plant is most easily confused with E. princeps which differs in having its leaflets in the same plane: Opposing E. lehmannii leaflets can be folded together flat while E. princeps leaves come together side to side.
The information about Encephalartos lehmannii displayed on this page is based on research conducted in our nursery library and from online sources we consider reliable. We will also relate those observations made of this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and in other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has additional information, particularly when they share cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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