You shouldn't assume that ALL cycads grow slow. There are some that outright haul ass. Given good growing conditions, I grew some Cycas taitungensis plants that produced up to 6 flushes in a year and from seed, I got plants to have a stem height of 3 feet and a 12 foot spread in just under 4 years. Another fast growing cycad would be Cycas debaoensis. They can mature and produce cones in 3 years from seed. At that point the stem would be 6 inches across and they would be producing leaves that are 10 to 12 feet long, giving them a 20 foot spread. These are becoming one of my favorite cycads. Here is a picture I took of a smaller, 2 year old plant.
