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Encephalartos sclavoi

Encephalartos sclavoi is one of the most distinctive and handsome cycads of eastern central Africa. The broad leathery leaflets, with their strongly revolute margins and downward overlapping arrangement, make it easily identifiable even in the absence of cones.

Encephalartos sclavoi is a most rewarding plant in cultivation. Its beauty and ease of horticulture make it one of the finest cycads for use in the garden. Event hough the habitat of E. sclavoi is close to the equator, the high elevation at which at occurs gives it a remarkable degree of cold tolerance. It can also be grown in full sun without its leaves burning. As a garden plant, this cycad will usually hold two or three crowns of leaves, all in good condition.

Stem: A subterranean trunk to 30 cm long and 15 cm diameter, rarely emergent to 80 cm tall
Leaves: 40-60 cm long, green to bluish-green
Cone: Female cones solitary on each stem, green to greenish yellow
Seeds: Oblong, angular and the sarcotesta orange in colour

CITES Appendix: 1

Height	To 1 metre tall
Diameter	35 cm
Leaf size	1.7-2 metres long – dark green, blue green
Region	Endemic to the western Usambara Mountains in north-eastern Tanzania, close to the border with Kenya
Best suited climate	Tropical to subtropical regions