Cicas Revoluta

Native to southern Japan, this plant belongs to the Cycadaceae family. It was first planted in Europe in 1793, in the Palermo Botanical Gardens. Due to its large, pinnate leaves arranged in a crown at the top of the stem, this plant resembles a palm. Its stem grows very slowly, reaching about 20 cm in diameter. While it is only a few centimetres long in young plants, very old specimens (over 50 years old) can have stems that are 6-7 m in height. Its leaves, reaching up to 1.5 m long, are bright green, pinnate, slightly curved, glossy and pointed. The individual leaflets, rigid and slim, measure 8-18 cm long; those closer to the stem turn into spines. It thrives in areas with very hot summers and cannot tolerate temperatures below 0 C°.