Encephalartos concinnus X nubimontanus

*Encephalartos concinnus* × *E. nubimontanus* is recorded as a cross between a Zimbabwean cycad and a South African cycad. The parent species differ in habitat and foliage, so the hybrid’s mature form, color, and watering needs should be judged from the plant itself. ## Parent traits The [Flora of Zimbabwe account for *E. concinnus*](https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=102940) describes a branching cycad from dry woodland on granite kopjes. SANBI describes *E. nubimontanus* as an arborescent species with blue-grey leaves, formerly found on cliff faces, and recommends bright light, free-draining soil, and careful watering to reduce rot. See the [SANBI profile](https://pza.sanbi.org/encephalartos-nubimontanus). These descriptions explain the named parentage, not a fixed hybrid specification. ## Garden placement Use a bright location with very good drainage, and avoid leaving water around the roots. Start with protection from severe cold and adjust exposure and irrigation to the hybrid’s observed growth; the parents’ different habitats make a single assumed water schedule unreliable. ## Maintenance Keep space around the crown for its emerging leaves, and avoid unnecessary transplanting. Remove leaves only after they are fully dead. Use legally propagated plants and retain provenance information for this protected group of cycads.