Encephalartos trispinosus

Bushman’s River cycad is a compact, clump-forming South African cycad with arching gray-green leaves. Its leaflets carry three spined lobes, the feature reflected in the name trispinosus. SANBI records the species from the Bushman’s and Great Fish River valleys in the Eastern Cape. [SANBI PlantZAfrica](https://pza.sanbi.org/Encephalartos-trispinosus) ## Form and origin Mature plants can form four to six stems and produce suckers around the base. Leaves are generally gray, recurved, and twist near the tip; SANBI reports them at roughly 0.75–1.25 m long. Native plants grow among rocks in full sun and also in scrub shade in a region with hot summers, winter frost, and summer rainfall. [SANBI PlantZAfrica](https://pza.sanbi.org/Encephalartos-trispinosus) ## Siting Use it as a low, architectural accent in a rock garden, open border, or container. A sunny position and well-drained soil suit the species; it is slow growing, so leave room for the mature clump rather than expecting quick coverage. [SANBI PlantZAfrica](https://pza.sanbi.org/Encephalartos-trispinosus) ## Maintenance Once established, it withstands frost and needs relatively little water. Keep the root zone well drained, water sparingly after establishment, and allow suckers to develop if a broader clump is wanted. Seed and mature suckers are both documented propagation methods. [SANBI PlantZAfrica](https://pza.sanbi.org/Encephalartos-trispinosus)