The Coontie Palm , scientifically have a go at it as Zamia integrifolia , is a small , tough , woody cycad native to the southeastern United States ( in Florida and Georgia ) , the Bahamas , Cuba , and the Cayman Islands . It ’s not actually a palm tree diagram , but a cycad , a grouping of ancient plants that predate dinosaur .
Coontie palms are also known as “ sustenance fossils ” due to their evolutionary stability over millions of age . They are the only Zamia species encounter in the United States and the only cycad native to the United States . The plant is listed as an endangered metal money in Florida due to home ground loss from construction .
These palm tree are low - produce evergreen plant , often ulterior , with a trunk that stay between 1 to 6 inches grandiloquent . They give up to 3 to 3.5 feet in height and can have a feast of 4 to 5 feet . Each frond of the Coontie palm is about 2 to 3 feet long and can have anywhere from 5 to 20 pair of booklet .
Coontie ribbon are slow - raise plant that can inhabit for one C of years . They have glossy , moody green leave that resemble fern fronds . The leaves uprise in a stem canker practice from a key trunk . Coontie palms are dioecious ( there are disjoined male and distaff plants ) . Male plants produce cones that are yellowish to brown in coloration , while female industrial plant produce cones that are red to orange in coloration .
They are highly drought broad and mostly remain disease - free , although they can have plant musical scale plague . The plant contains toxins that are poisonous to both humans and pets , pretend the flighty arrangement and the gastrointestinal tract . However , the plant ’s underground stems and roots were historically used by Native Americans and former colonist to pull a type of starch known as Florida arrowroot .
Characteristics of Coontie Palm
develop Conditionsand USDA Zones
Common Problems
Scale : Coontie palms can be susceptible to scale louse , which appear as belittled , sap - sucking bumps on the leaves . These insects sabotage the plant and can induce leaves to yellow and pretermit .
mealybug : Similar to scale , mealy bug are subdued - corporal insects that suck sap from the leaves . They go away behind a sticky residue and can also sabotage the plant .
Fungal Diseases : Coontie palms can be susceptible to fungous disease like Fusarium wilt disease and Phytophthora tooth root decomposition , especially in badly drain soils or with excessive moisture . Signs let in wilting , yellow leaves , and stunted growth .
Nutrient deficiency : While not heavy feeders , Coontie palms can suffer from inadequacy in indispensable nutrients like magnesium or atomic number 25 . This can manifest as yellowing or browning of leaves , particularly between the vein .
Sunburn : Although Coontie ribbon stomach full sun , especially abrasive good afternoon sun in hotter climates can scorch the leave of absence , cause browned or yellow patches .
Cold Damage : As they are not dusty hardy , freezing temperatures can damage or kill Coontie laurel wreath . This can cause wilt , browning of leaves , and stunted maturation .
Leaf Spot Disease : Leaf spot disease is one of the most common Coontie plant diseases . It is cause by a fungus that attacks the folio of the plant , make the appearance of small , dark spots that eventually grow in size of it and commingle together , leading to the leaves plow dark-brown and return off .
Overwatering or Underwatering : Coontie palm are sensitive to both overwatering and underwatering . Overwatering can head to root rot , while underwatering can get the flora to droop and the leaves to turn brown .
