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Species library › Macrozamia › Macrozamia macdonnellii
Other Well documented

Macrozamia macdonnellii

The MacDonnell Ranges cycad, a striking blue-green species of rocky ranges in arid central Australia. It is hardy to heat, drought and light frost, wants full sun and sharp drainage, and grows very slowly.

Macrozamia macdonnellii
Photo: Cgoodwin, CC BY 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 Full sunDLI and PPFD in Plantistry
Expects a seasonal restGrows in the ground

Where it grows wild

Rocky hillsides, gorges and ridges of quartzite and sandstone in arid central Australia, often in rock crevices where runoff collects.

Recorded at 576–1,250 m, median 914 m; most records are in the MacDonnell Ranges west of Alice Springs.

Northern Territory

🔒 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 3.0 licence, unmodified.