"Are You From Cairns?"

No, I am not from Cairns.

View Larger Map

Although I am also from Queensland, I am from the Newcastle Range in the north-east.  Cairns, the city, is in Far North Queensland.  Both the city and I are named after William Wellington Cairns who was governor of Queensland from 1875-1877.  I am also known as "Mount Surprise" or "Champions Blue Surprise" while the city is not.  

My full name though is Cycas cairnsiana.

I was described by F. Mueller in the 1800s.  Unfortunately there was a lot of mistaken identity.  Other species were being called by my name!!!  The indignity of it all.  Thankfully, in 1992, a Mr. Kenneth Hill cleared my name and bestowed it upon me alone.

I normally live in open woodland and prefer a hot, dry climate.  I've even been known to survive a bushfire.    No humidity for me, please.  I can also live in the cooler climates because I am relatively frost tolerant.

Below is a picture of a younger me growing out of the ground.  No obvious caudex.  Should I be dug up?

A shot of me from above.  Note the fronds coming from my caudex.  My pinnae (leaflets) along the length of the rhachis (axis of a compound leaf to which the leaflets attach) will become keeled (V-shaped) with maturity.

 

I'd like to think of my trunk as pear-shaped.  My bottom being more prominent than the rest of me.  Notice the orange-brown tomentoes (dense wooly/hairy covering) which eventually become leaves.

My petiole (stalk below the lowermost leaflets) is covered with spines.  This is my defense mechanism together with some of my parts not being fit for ingestion.

My most stunning feature is my blue foliage.  The blue coloration, covers both surfaces of my leaflets.  My leaves are glaucous (bluish-gray waxy surface) but will eventually turn glabrous (smooth surface without any hair) with age.  My leaves are soft when young but become stiffer as I grow older.

Unfortunately, I may not be around much longer.  I've already been classified as a Vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.  This means that I face a high risk of extinction in the wild.  To help me survive, I have been put under protection by the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).  I've been placed under CITES Appendix II which means that I cannot travel between countries as easily as before.  Now I need export and import permits to travel.  I am also being propagated artificially in commercial nurseries to help my conservation.  In my case, I was born in a nursery and was subsequently adopted by Plant Chaser.

Have a good look at me now.  I do hope you remember me after this introduction.  If you forget much of what I said, at least remember this: I am not from Cairns.

Pronunciation Guide:  sī-kəs  kernz-ē-ˈa-nā

Comments

[Donna]

Cute, from the plants point. Sounds like this guy has a tough road ahead. Hope he make it off the list. Those spines look ouchy.

[Carolyn @ Carolyn's Shade Gardens]

Very cute story about a beautiful plant. Snowdrops, which I love, are governed by CITES, and it makes it very difficult to get them in the US. Frustrating but the law accomplishes a lot of good.

[Rosie]

I really like cycas - but they are so expensive here. Maybe once tissue culture is better established with this plant they may become a little cheaper but it does take years for them even to look like yours Bom.

As for the site you joined - did they invite you or did you just add your blog? When someone asks me to join their site or for them to advertise on my blog and place their own html on my blog I always refuse. I didn't look to see what other gardening blogs were on there - did you recognise any of them. Two good gardening directories are Diggin the Dirt and Cold Climate Gardening.

[Bernieh]

What a great post. I liked your take on this ... it's fascinating to hear it from the plant's viewpoint. It is such a lovely Cycad ... such a great colour and form. Wouldn't it be great if it could make it off the vulnerable list. Of course, I'm just a little further south of Cairns and have heard of this plant, but have never ever actually seen it! How wonderful that you now have one of your own. I know it's in good hands.

[The Plant Chaser]

@ Donna: There are a number of specimens available from the nursery but the price can be relatively expensive. The spines are definitely ouchy.

@ Carolyn: I had to research your snowdrops. I hope they get off the CITES list as well. I can understand your frustration. There are so many plants that I want and all Cycas are under CITES if I am not mistaken.

@ Rosie: They are expensive here as well so I usually buy my plants when they are very young. The smaller, the more affordable. More effort to care for and establish but that is where the fulfillment of gardening is, isn't it?

I don't remember joining the site, which is why I am a bit wary.

@ Bernie: I wish there was no need for a vulnerable list. It is so sad. Darwin's Theory is put to the test when it is not nature but mankind that makes species disappear.

[Masha]

What an unusual plant. Lovely pictures and a very accurate and detailed description. I enjoyed this post a lot.

[Andrea]

Hi you write so well, and the way you let the plant talk gets all of us here and smiling. I love Cycas too but they grow so slowly. My mother has C revoluta which also thrives on neglect. But our big Cycas (forgot species, the big pitogo) is so prolific we cut most of its leaves sometimes. It also have lots of fruits yearly, which i throw to the creek and years later the banks of creek will be full of them growing profusely. Are you sure all cycas are in CITES?

[The Plant Chaser]

@ Masha: Hello! Thank you for liking my post.

@ Andrea: I'm pleased you liked the post.

Appendix II of CITES:
- lists Cycadaceae spp. except for Cycas beddomei which is in Appendix I
- lists Zamiaceae spp. except for Ceratozamia spp., Chigua spp., Encephalartos spp. and Microcycas calocoma which are in Appendix I
- lists all Bowenia spp. Of the Stangeriaceae, Stangeria eriopus is in Appendix I

Cycad seeds of Appendix II list are not regulated but Appendix I seeds are.

I guess this means you will be be helping the Cycas revoluta get off the list once the banks of your creek are full of them. :-D

[Esther Montgomeyery]

I like the sight of thorns. Don't like to be prickled by them though!

Esther

[Patty]

I looked up the cyad online to see the mature plant. It certainly gets more palm like with age, and the V formation you mention is quite prominent. Enjoyed the post a lot Bom.

[Desiree]

What a beautiful (and lucky) Cycad!

[The Plant Chaser]

@ Esther: Me too. Lots of invasives in the pot with them. I can't take them out because of the spines. Don't like getting pricked either.

@ Patty: Thanks Patty. I think the leaves get more bluish too in the mature plant. Isn't it a beauty?

@ Desiree: I'm glad you liked it. I hope it is lucky in my care and that it can be propagated.

[PlantPostings]

Great photography and wonderful information about a plant I didn't know much about. Thanks for the info!

[Pams English Garden]

What a fascinating post. The plant is lovely to look at and I enjoyed your story. But it is a bit sad that the beauty should be so vulnerable.

[The Plant Chaser]

Thank you Beth and Pam.

[Autumn Belle]

A very unusual plant indeed. Stunning is the word for it!

[The Plant Chaser]

Thanks Autumn Belle!

[Cat]

It's found a great home with you! I like your perspective on this post, telling it from the plant's point of view...you're always clever!

[Kala]

Wonderful focus and shallow DoF in the 3rd image from the bottom.

[The Plant Chaser]

Thanks Cat.

Thanks Kala.

:-D