How to Make My Cycad Grow Fast

Palm tree fertilizer isn't suitable for cycads.

Cycads are ancient plants that resemble both ferns and palm trees. There are 11 different types or genera of cycads and some of these can grow up to 60 feet tall with expansive plumes.These plants are good landscaping investments because they can live for hundreds of years. If you've purchased a small cycad, or recently transplanted a specimen, you may be anxious to see the tree grow and become stronger. The production of new sets of leaves are called flushes. On average, cycads produce three to four flushes per year.

Things You'll Need

• 24-7-8 nitrogen-based fertilizer pellets

Instructions

1. Remove weeds and dense foliage from around the base of the cycad. Clearing the area around the plant will make the fertilizer more effective.

2. Sprinkle 2 tbsp. of plastic-coated fertilizer pellets around the base of the tree. Do this three to four times a year.

3. Water cycads once a week. Do not over water the plants as they can succumb to root rot.

Tips & Warnings

• In their natural habitat, cycads are slow growers.

References

• Palm and Cycad Societies of Florida; What Fertilizer Should I Use On My Cycads?; Tom Broome
• Cycad Palm; What Are Cycads?; Maurice Levin