Family: Zamiaceae
Common name: Voi cycad
Voi cycad is a magnificent and rare species, a collector’s plant that is native to two small regions in Kenya and Tanzania. These plants are said to be very old, ‘living fossils’ belonging to the family of cycads that existed at the time of dinosaurs. Voi cycads are considered endangered due to the destruction of forests, and excessive collection of the species.
Plant Characteristics
These stately plants can grow to a height of 5-6 meters with a unique growing habit, easily identified by their long, thick leaves radiating upwards at an angle from the center of the trunk.
The trunk is stout, thick, and robust, ranging between 1.5 to 2 meters in mature plants. It is rough, scaly, and slightly bulbous from the remains of fallen leaves and takes a long time to be visible above the ground, since these plants are slow growers.
Leaves are stunningly eye-catching – a crown of long, large, thick leaves extending in a crown-like formation from the top of the stem. Leaves can grow 2.5 to 3.5 meters long with 80-100 pairs of leaflets that are opposite to each other.
Leaf margins are serrated and spiny, the lowermost leaves so small that they look like thorns. Voi cycad leaflets are 25-35 cm long, dark green in color, with a leathery texture. Each plant has 5 to 25 leaves in a rosette formation at the top, each leaf at a 45 to 60-degree angle to the stem.
These plants are dioecious, which means that they have separate male and female plants, that differ in the size of the cones and the frequency of fruiting. Male plants flower every year, whereas female plants flower only once in 2-3 years.
Male cones are 50-64 cm long, and female cones are 40-55 cm long, both very beautiful like thin, long pineapples.
Seeds are contained inside the cones, covered by thick flesh. They are consumed by birds and small animals that help in propagation.
Growing Tips
Voi cycads are not ideal for home gardens unless you have a large space where these plants can spread out. They are excellent choices for landscaped areas or parks since these plants require very little maintenance.
Voi cycads can grow in full sun or partial shade, or even in glass houses in temperate weather. They need well-draining soil with tree bark, sand, and gravel.
These plants can be grown in pots, where they stay small and manageable. But once they are planted on the ground, Voi cycads grow to their full potential, becoming the center of attraction of your garden.
Fertilization is needed only once in 3-4 months during spring and summer. Since these plants are slow-growers, they are light-feeders and need a well-balanced fertilizer very infrequently.
Most parts of the plant are toxic to pets and humans, and hence it is better to keep them away from areas where people and animals frequent.
Since Voi cycads germinate very slowly, it is good to take care of them when they are small, watering and fertilizing them. But once these plants are settled into the soil, they can be ignored for the rest of your lives, and their lives.
Uses of Voi Cycads
Voi cycads were used as famine food in olden times, parts of the stem and seeds eaten after treating them to remove the toxicity. But beware of eating any part of the plant or feeding them to pets, since most Cycads contain a toxin called cyasin which can affect the liver.
These plants are grown as ornamentals in parks, nature conservatories, and botanical gardens. Their historical significance and endangered status make them very valuable as a collector’s item.
Voi cycads can grow for many decades, over 100 years if the growing conditions are right.
Propagation
Propagation is through seeds.
Voi cycads do not produce suckers from the stem like other Cycads, and hence seed propagation is the only viable method.
Seeds collected from female cones should be dried, and soaked in water for a day, before they are planted in moist, well-draining soil. Patience is key in Cycad propagation since the seeds take many weeks to germinate and grow.
Photographed at: KEW Gardens, London
