Posted by Tom Broome on 12/1/2008, 9:22 pm, in reply to "Cycads coning in containers"
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: Do you have any advice on getting
: Cycads (Rev and Tait in particular)
: to produce cones while in
: containers? I have always been told
: they just will not do it unless they
: are established in the ground. I
: just ran across your answer to a
: question posted on 7/31/2005 that
: states you have over 40 species that
: have coned while in a container. I
: am curious if you have any pointers
: for doing this. I live in NC (zone
: 7b) and wanted to be able to keep
: these outdoors 3/4 of the year and
: only move them into the green house
: as needed. I was concerned that by
: doing this, I would never be able to
: raise seed producing plants.
:
I think you can get just about any species to produce cones in containers. The thing is, how large does the container need to be to get a plant large enough and happy enough to produce female cones. Males are much easier. Most Zamias can produce male and female cones when they are in pots as small as a 3 gallon size. 7 gallon pots make nice multiheaded zamias do well. Cycas revoluta does not need as much root room as C. taitungensis does to cone. I have had males and females in 15s produce cones, but the females are much better in a 25. I have had male taitungensis plants cone in a 15, but I have never got a female to cone in anything smaller than a 25. I know lugging around these large pots is hard to do, but I would bet that you don't get regular coning on a female taitungensis unless it someday, goes into a 45. For me, I had a "lowboy" cart made to my specifications that I can put a 45 in, and without having to lift anything, and when I center the pot on the axle, I can move a large plant in a 45 with two fingers on each hand. So it can be done if it is important enough.
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