Coastal zamia

Coastal zamia belongs to an ancient plant group that has existed on earth for 300 million years. They were already present when the oldest dinosaurs roamed the planet 200 million years ago. The plant resembles a palm, but it has no flowers and is more closely related to the conifers.

Cycads are dioecious, meaning that the individual plants are either male or female. The coastal zamia plant in the greenhouse is a female and, since we do not have a male plant, it cannot produce seeds. This may be a good thing since the seeds smell strongly of butyric acid – much like smelly feet!

There are approximately 120 species of cycads on earth. Most grow in the tropics, and many are endangered in the wild.

Facts:

• Greenhouse location: Tropical house
• Danish name: Kyst-zamia
• Latin name: Zamia poeppigiana
• Family: Cycad family / Zamiaceae
• Natural habitat: Costal rainforest in Ecuador and Peru

Learn more about other plants here.