Cycads

 
Bowenia serrulata                                                       

Cycads are a group of very primitive plants which shared the earth with the dinosaurs and are among the most ancient of all plants surviving today. They are well represented in the fossil record which shows that cycads were more varied and profuse in earlier times and more widely distributed. The modern cycads are relicts of a much wetter climate, consisting of small populations scattered around the tropical, sub-tropical and warm temperate regions of many continents.

Cycads are very structural plants which makes them popular in the horticultural industry. They can have ornamental leaves and cones, and their seeds are often brightly coloured and may be produced in abundance. To produce seed in a garden you must have both a male and a female plant.

 
Macrozamia moorei 

Bowenia spectabilis 

Cycas megacarpa

Location

Many cycads are rare or threatened, so if you’re buying one for your garden, make sure that it hasn’t been taken from the wild. If you’d like to see some uncommon species, why not visit Bed 1 on the Connections Garden at Mount Annan Botanic Garden?