Coontie

Sun Exposure: Light shade, avoid direct sun

Origin: Florida, Georgia, Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, in moist warm woodlands

Growth Habits: Cycad, 2 to 4 feet wide (60-120 cm), branching dichotomously, eventually forming a clump; buried trunk, 1.2 to 4 inches in diameter (3-10 cm) or more; pinnate leaves, 5 to 30 pairs of oblong leaflets, with rounded tips, 3.2 to 10 inches long (8-25 cm), 0.2 to 0.8 inch wide (5-20 mm)

Watering Needs: Regular water

Propagation: Seeds, sown fresh for best results

The plants from Florida were described as Zamia integrifolia. They have smaller leaves than the Caribbean native plants, but are more cold resistant, to zone 9b.

Blooming Habits:
Male plants have up to 30 cylindrical pollen cones, 1.2 to 6 inches long (3-15 cm), 0.3 to 0.8 inch in diameter (0.75 to 2 cm). Female plants have a small number (typically less than 5) brown cylindrical seed cones, 2.4 to 6 inches long (6-15 cm), 1.6 to 2.4 inches in diameter (4-6 cm). The seeds are ovoid, 0.4 to 0.8 inch long (1-2 cm)

Culture:
The leaves comes in several flushes during the growing season. Regular fertilizer promotes new growth. Insufficient light makes the plant generate grossly elongated leaves.