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Stanger’s cycad
Stangeria eriopus
SA tree number
English: Stanger’s cycad, Natal grass cycad
Afrikaans: Bobbejaankos
Zulu: Imfingo
Xhosa: Umfingwani
Synonyms: Lomaria eriopus, Lomaria coriacea, Stangeria paradoxa, Stangeria katzeri
Stangeria eriopus is a slow-growing indigenous cycad with an underground tuber and upright leafy stems bearing large fern-like leaves. It produces separate male and female cones on different plants and grows close to the coast in eastern South Africa.
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Distinguishing features:
Underground carrot-shaped tuber producing multiple above-ground leafy stems
Pinnate, twice-divided leaves resembling ferns, emerging one at a time
Dioecious cones: male are cylindrical, female are egg-shaped
Male cones: 100–250 mm long × 30–40 mm wide; female cones: 180 mm long × 80 mm wide
Overall appearance:
Perennial cycad with subterranean stem and up to 10 aerial stems, each bearing a single pinnate frond at a time.
Height:
Leaf length varies from 250 mm to 2000 mm depending on habitat
Leaves:
Twice-divided pinnate fronds
250–2000 mm long
Young leaves are velvety and circinate (rolled at tip)
Mature leaves are smooth
Cones:
Male cones cylindrical, tapering; 100–250 mm × 30–40 mm
Female cones ovoid; 180 mm × 80 mm
Produced year-round
Coning season:
Cones occur throughout the year
Seeds:
Cones disintegrate to release seeds
Stem/caudex:
Underground tuber with short aerial stems bearing fronds
Roots:
Coralloid roots present for nitrogen fixation, arising from underground stem
Soil type:
Found in sandy soils (from sandstone), granite-derived soils, heavy acidic clays, typically within 50 km of the coast
Aspect:
Occurs in full sun, light shade under trees, and dense shade in coastal forests
Uses:
Stangeria roots are valued in Xhosa and Zulu traditional medicine: they serve as a purgative, relieve headaches, are worn as protective necklaces by nursing mothers, and are applied to heal injured cattle teats.
Ecology:
Pollinated by wind and insects
Distribution and habitat:
Eastern Cape (Bathurst) to KwaZulu-Natal (Kosi Bay), and southern Mozambique
Occurs within 50 km of the coast and at elevations of 10–750 m
Grows in coastal dunes, forests, scrub, and woodland
Derivation of name:
Genus honours William Stanger
Epithet “eriopus” refers to velvety hairs on young leaf stems
Historical aspects:
First described as Lomaria coriacea in 1836
Named Stangeria paradoxa in 1853 upon discovery of cones
Renamed Stangeria eriopus in 1892, reinstating the earlier epithet
Interesting facts:
Though it looks like a fern, it’s actually a cycad—and the only species in its genus
Its underground tuber allows it to survive for a very long time
Young leaves unfurl like tiny fiddleheads
Growing tips:
Prefers well-drained soil in shady areas and thrives when planted in groups of 3 to 5 for a striking effect.
Pairs well with plants like Plectranthus, Scadoxus multiflorus subsp. katharinae, Clivia species, and Crinum moorei.
Space plants 1 metre apart and enrich planting holes with compost and bone meal.
Feed regularly: mulch in autumn with 50 mm of compost; in early spring, apply bone meal, organic and balanced inorganic fertiliser.
Avoid high-pressure irrigation systems—use gentle watering to protect the leaves.
Mealybugs are the main pest—control with systemic insecticide.
Propagation by seed:
Requires both male and female plants for viable seed.
Harvest seed when female cone disintegrates; soak in water, clean, and store dry until spring.
Sow in clean, coarse sand at 25–28°C with daily watering.
Seeds germinate in ~2 months; pot seedlings in 3-litre bags after 10 months, then repot to 30 cm pots after a year.
Plants grow best once transferred to open ground.
Propagation by cuttings:
Break off an entire leaf with some stem attached.
Trim leaf to reduce moisture loss, apply rooting hormone, and insert 8 cm deep into clean sand.
Callus and roots develop in 10–14 weeks; full root system forms in ~18 months.
This plant is a fantastic alternative for:
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Scientific Name
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