I've recently gained interest in growing cycads that are cold-hardy to my area (upstate South
Carolina, Zone 7). I'm wondering-- how long do individual cycad leaves live? I have two C.
revoluta that have produced new sets of leaves-- one started with five and produced five, the other
started with six and produced fourteen. I know that some cycads produce 2-3 "throws" of leaves per
year, some 1 or 2, and some maybe produce a new set only every couple of years. And yet I see
cycads covered with dozens of leaves. Which seems to imply that individual leaves can live for
several years, else how could so many build up when the leaves are produced so slowly?

Can anyone give me an idea of the typical "lifespan" for an individual cycad leaf?

I'd say, where you live, the typical lifespan of a cycad leaf is 1 year. I
live in the southern midlands of SC (near Augusta GA) and our cycads grow
very well. However, in a harsh winter when temps drop below 20 deg several
nights in a row, all the leaves are killed, bleaching out over the next few
weeks. In spring, our revolutas put out 20 or more leaves. In a milder
winter, the leaves are not killed but we have the same leave production in
spring. Favored areas on hills near the Savannah River, where warm air rises
from the river valley in winter, have some cycads that are 8-10' tall with
leaves to the ground indicating rather long lengevity. Of, course, some of
those leaves are from the young basal suckers. You don't say where you live
in upstate SC. But if it's toward the mountains, you'd better protect the
trunk in winter since you're colder than we are and we've lost some in
abnormally cold winters. As far as I knew, where we live is about the upper
limit of cycas growing.
Gary

"Darren Garrison" wrote in message
...
I've recently gained interest in growing cycads that are cold-hardy to my
area (upstate South
Carolina, Zone 7). I'm wondering-- how long do individual cycad leaves
live? I have two C.
revoluta that have produced new sets of leaves-- one started with five and
produced five, the other
started with six and produced fourteen. I know that some cycads produce
2-3 "throws" of leaves per
year, some 1 or 2, and some maybe produce a new set only every couple of
years. And yet I see
cycads covered with dozens of leaves. Which seems to imply that
individual leaves can live for
several years, else how could so many build up when the leaves are
produced so slowly?

Can anyone give me an idea of the typical "lifespan" for an individual
cycad leaf?