Plant in full sun to light shade (a good shade grower) in a well-drained soil and irrigate regularly to infrequently. Hardy to light frosts and can tolerated winter short duration temperatures to at least 28 F without damage.

Encephalartos manikensis comes from the highlands of the Mapande Range, often around granite outcrops in the region in western Mozambique near the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border, and area called the Manica region. 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 with the specific epithet referencing the Manica region. This plant is sometimes called the Rhodesian Cycad as Rhodesia was the previous name for Zimbabwe and it was once considered part of a variable group called the "Manikensis Complex" that were believed varieties of Encephalartos gratus but later separated into a number of different species including Encephalartos manikensis, Encephalartos concinnus, Encephalartos. munchii, Encephalartos pterogonus and Encephalartos chimanimaniensis. 

The information displayed on this page about Encephalartos manikensis 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.