About
Encephalartos lehmannii, the Karoo cycad, is a low, palm-like cycad endemic to the Eastern Cape of South Africa, notable for its drought tolerance and blue-silver leaves.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Not recorded. We have no source on whether this plant is safe for cats, dogs or other pets — that is not the same as safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked.
- People
- Not recorded.
- Mature size
- Up to about 2 m tall; leaves up to 1.5 m long.
Field notes
Morphology
Grows up to 2 m tall with a trunk up to 45 cm thick, branched or single. Blue or silver leaves up to 1.5 m long are strongly keeled, with smooth-edged leaflets. Male cones are green or brown, up to 35 cm long; female cones up to 50 cm. Seeds are red, up to 4.5 cm long.
Distribution & habitat
Eastern Cape, mainly on dry sandstone slopes and ridges among low succulents and shrubs, where it stays green in drought.
History & etymology
Named after J.G.C. Lehmann, a German botanist who published a book on cycads in 1834.
Conservation
Listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- South Africa
- IUCN status
- Vulnerable
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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