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Species library › Encephalartos › Encephalartos cupidus
Other Little published: much of this is inferred from related species

Encephalartos cupidus

A small, stemless, critically endangered cycad from Limpopo and Mpumalanga, about 15 to 40 cm tall, with arching blue-green leaves. It comes from summer-rainfall grassland and rocky slopes with dry, cool winters. Plants in trade must be legally sourced, as it is listed in CITES Appendix I.

Encephalartos cupidus
Photo: User:BotBln, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
At home, aim for
Day Cool-growingTargets in Plantistry
Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry
Humidity Dry airBand in Plantistry
Light Bright, filtered lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry
Expects a seasonal restGrows in the ground

Where it grows wild

Rocky grassland and slopes in river valleys of the northeastern escarpment, growing among rocks and grasses in sun or light shade. This comes from general accounts of the species. No details were found on the exact slope or rock type.

Wild populations are at 700 to 1500 m. The only climate site, at 1543 m, is in Pretoria and is probably a garden plant.

LimpopoMpumalangaSouth Africa

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates
✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it
✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light
✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it
✓ Substrate and airflow
✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its CC BY-SA 3.0 licence, unmodified.