Cycads for beginners - roots

[Andy]

Sorry for such a basic question, but what is the root system of a cycad like? Looking at the photos of the z. psuedoparastica with that long taproot, is the whole root system based on a singular taproot? Are they lots of little roots at the base of the caudex too? What size pot do they need, and are they fussy about transplanting in the ground?
-andy

[cycadjungle]

You can't lump all the species of cycads into one mold, whether you are talking about roots, form, or cone color. I can tell you that the new roots on a small plant will be like a large tap root with very little, to no secondary roots. Some cycads tap way down and root deeply and in some cases, this may show a faster growing species, like Cycas debaoensis. The secret to this species is that not only does it produuce a big fat tap root, but if given the proper root room, the tap branches out where I have seen a 2 year old plant that had 12 major tap roots that looked like an octopus.
Many zamias will have a larger tap root, and for that matter, a single headed plant will look much like a fat sweet potato. Cycads like Cycas revoluta, or the king sago will start with a tap but then the roots will branch out everywhere and almost look like any other roots system that a tree or bush might have. Some cycads like Bowenia spectabilis never rooted farther down than about a foot, even when they were in a 20 inch deep pot.
So, you really can't say that all cycads have any particular style of root system once they are several years old.

[Andy]

Awesome. Thanks. Hard to find info like that for beginners. Does each genus have a general trend, or is it more species specific? I also would assume it would depend on the natural substrate/soil they grow in? Sorry again for asking such basic questions.
-andy

[cycadjungle]

Asking basic questions is the only way we can truly understand a plant group besides doing it the hard way, which is years of experimentation. I asked many basic questions to the 'experts' at the time and you would be surprised how many people ccouldn't answer them for me. Lots of talk that had no tested basis to it and every once in a while, you would get a good fact or two but you would have to filter all the talk to figure what was right. It took me 7 years of constant testing and documenting all the results before I even wrote my first article. Anyway, this is why I am happy to answer the most basic questions, yet alone, more complicated questions, so that people can learn what cycads are all about.
Sorry for the soapbox. OK, I tell people never to generalize on anything, but I think you can do this a little with cycads. First of all you are right about the soils. You can see what they grow in, in habitat, and that will give you a good indicator at least to start out with. You can also generalize a little with genus. Dioons pretty much seem to have close to the same kind of root system. Zamias will start out all about the same, but then they spread out more after about 3 years. The Caribbean zamias will probably be about the same. Most of the Mexican ones might be about the same and pretty mucch close to the Caribbean ones. Some of the cloud forest and other tropical zamias might not have as deep as a root system as the various pumila types. (Caribbean) Encephalartos seems to vary a lot depending on where they naturally live. Obviously the one we have been talking about has a different set up.
It intersting though, you get surprises all the time. You would think a huge Ugandan encephalartos would have a huge, deep, root ystem, but E. whitelockii seems to have one of the most shallow, wimpy, root systems I've ever seen on an enceph. Another surprise was Bowenias. The people who tell us what to call these things say there are 2 species. B. serrulata has a deep tap root that grew 19 inches to a bottom of a deep tree pot in 8 weeks from germination and B. spectabilis grew to half that depth even after 2 years. The plants grow about the same but they have roots that are very different. But then, as you mentioned. Serrulata grows in about 6 feet of soft sand and spectabilis grows in the Daintree Rainforest.
I could go on for a long time on roots, but this may give you a bit more of an idea. Tom

[Andy]

Thanks Tom, I'm not even familiar with all of the genera so all that has been said is helpful. Every once in a while I will come up with more questions to volley at you guys. It's been fun looking up more about the species you have mentioned. Lots of good ones to look for now.
-andy

[cycadjungle]

For more information on cultivation, my website has lots of my articles. I also have a few pictures on plants that may help you a bit. Here is my main page:
http://cycadjungle.8m.com/

If you want to look up any cycad species, or genus, in the world, you can't beat this site:
http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/Pl...cad/ident.html
Click on each genus and every species will come up. They also have pictures of most cycad species. This will give you enough to read about, thats for sure!