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Encephalartos altensteinii (Prickly Cycad, Bread Tree) - This evergreen cycad is extremely slow growing to an eventual 10 to 16 feet tall (very old plant) but is more likely to be seen in gardens with a trunk to 3 to 4 feet tall. The rigid, palm-like bipinnate leaves are about 6 feet long, with numerous stiff, spiny-toothed leaflets. A distinguishing characteristic of this species it the leaf base is smooth without the sharp reduced lower leaflets that other species like Encephalartos natalensis have.
It grows well in full sun to light shade and has fairy low water needs. It is listed by South African sources as a frost tender species but we have found it tolerant of light frosts and has withstood short duration freezing temperatures of 25° F in our garden.
Encephalartos altensteinii's native habitat is in relatively moist areas of South Africa from the coastal areas of the Eastern Cape Province through to the southern border of Natal where it can be found growing in full sun or in the heavy shade under the canopy of the forest. 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 honors Karl vom Stein zum Altenstein, a 19th-century German chancellor and patron of science.
This plant is our favorite green leafed Encephalartos and we have a sizable specimen in a large concrete pot in our garden - this plant was a gift given to us in 1994 by our friend Jeff Chemnick when he spoke at our Field Day Open House that year. The much larger individual growing in the Palm House at Kew Gardens has a sign on it noting it to be the oldest potted plant in the world, as it was received in 1775 and has grown there since.
The information displayed on this page about Encephalartos altensteinii 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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