Dioon edule 'Rio Verde'

Also known as the Chestnut Dioon, this lovely Cycad needs plenty of warmth to give new growth but is nevertheless more cold hardy than many (just be sure to water it less in cold periods).

Give it plenty of sunlight, not only is it good for the plant, but it will bring out the bluer shades in the leaves. It can be grown in the ground or in a large container.

The trunk is rough and scaly in texture. Young leaves are soft and light grayish-blue-green. Mature leaves are long, pinnate and feather-like, reaching up to a metre in length, and have many pairs of leaflets. Leaflets are lanceolate and either light green or silvery-blue depending on sun exposure. This plant is dioecious, having separate male and female plants, which produce different cones. The cones on this plant are light tan and spiny.

Natural habitat for his plant is the Sierra Nevada mountains in the state of San Luis Potosi in Mexico, in tropical deciduous thorn forests and oak woodlands at elevations over 1000 ft (hence its tolerance of cold).

Makes for fantastic tropical specimen planting, and pairs well with palm trees or other tropical trees and shrubs. Since it can be planted in a container, it makes a good porch plant as long as its in an area with plenty of sunlight.