Encephalartos lehmannii

Encephalartos lehmannii, the Karoo cycad, is a compact South African cycad with striking blue foliage and a strong architectural silhouette. Its erect caudex can become a multi-stemmed clump, so allow room for the crown to broaden as basal offsets develop. ## Form and habitat The [South African National Biodiversity Institute](https://pza.sanbi.org/encephalartos-lehmannii) describes trunks up to 2 m tall and 400 mm across, clumps of as many as ten stems, and blue leaves 1–1.5 m long. In the Eastern Cape it grows on sandstone hills, slopes, and dry watercourse margins in a hot, semi-arid region with erratic summer rain. The species can survive prolonged drought once established. ## Siting Choose full sun and exceptionally free-draining soil. SANBI recommends neutral to alkaline soil. A sunny rock garden or a large container can show off the crown while keeping drainage easy to manage; the [Botanic Wonders grower profile](https://botanicwonders.com/journal/encephalartos-lehmannii) also describes successful container culture. ## Maintenance Keep the caudex and growing crown undisturbed. Remove only fully dead fronds, and avoid keeping the root zone wet. The grower profile notes that regular feeding benefits cultivated plants; follow the fertilizer label and adjust to active growth and local conditions.