These are specimen cycads 15 to 25 years old.  The first one has reached maturity.  Both are in perfect condition, ready to be planted.  

For desert locations, some canopy for 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. is recommended.  A good place for those cycads is on the east side of a home or wall, allowing warm, direct, full sun in the morning but when the sun breaks over the home or wall there is bright but indirect sun that does not burn. 

You can easily experiment prior to planting to learn how this cycad handles direct sun rays.  This is our experience:  Here in Escondido with 85-95 degree temperature and in Redlands with 95-105 degree temperature, most South African blue cycads do well. Green cycads, specifically E. hildebrandtii, E. laurentianus and E. villosus, and those from Central Africa prefer some canopy.

The following are full sun cycads, not to worry.

Encephalartos arenarius, 20-gal, 12” caudex width, 36” tall, 36” spread.  About 20 years old, believed to be Sparkman lineage.

Provenance:  My collector-friend bought this arenarius from Rancho Soledad (a high-end nursery in Rancho Santa Fe).  I believe that Rancho Soledad bought a number of these from George Sparkman (now passed) who was growing them 15 years earlier than we began growing them.  This lineage of arenarius is very blue.  From my 20-plus years’ experience growing arenarius, there have never been others bluer than this one.  See for yourself.

This cycad was SOLD!  2NOV2024