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Encephalartos horridus (Eastern Cape Blue Cycad) - This smaller clustering cycad with a partly subterranean trunk has multiple short and thick 1-to-2-foot stems topped by 18 to 24 inch long strongly recurving leaves that have many intertwined spiny, silvery-blue leaflets. The cones on this species are produced singly and are a blue-gray color with male cones elongated to 1 foot long while female cones are egg shaped.
Plant in full sun where it has low watering requirements and tolerates frost - probably is cold hardy to 25-30 degrees F. It is oft described as one of the most unusual of all the South African species and for this reason, and because of its smaller size, it is one of the most popular cycads in cultivation.
The native habitat of Encephalartos horridus is on exposed slopes in Mozambique, Swaziland, and northern Natal and Transvaal provinces of South Africa. The name for the genus comes from Greek words 'en' meaning "within", 'kephali' meaning "head" and 'artos' meaning "bread" or "bread in head" which is a reference to the use of the starchy substance in the trunks of some species in times of desperation by African native tribes. The specific epithet is Latin meaning "bristly" or "horrible" in reference to its heavily armed leaves.
The information displayed on this page about Encephalartos horridus is based on our research conducted about this plant from books in our nursery library as well as from information that is provided by reliable online resources. We also have included our own observations made about it as it grew in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers when we had them in our nursery field. We also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.
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