Cardboard Palm

Zamia furfuracea is a slow-growing cycad with a rounded rosette of stiff, compound green leaves. Its coarse, cardboard-textured leaflets give the plant its common name, while mature female plants form a cone in the center of the crown. ## Garden Use Use it as an architectural accent in a warm-climate border, coastal planting, or large container. Its rounded outline and substantial leaves also make it a useful indoor specimen where temperatures require winter protection. ## Growing Conditions Grow in full sun to partial shade and well-drained sandy or loamy soil. The species tolerates drought and salt, but it is slow-growing and benefits from good drainage. NC State recommends allowing the soil to dry between waterings; UF/IFAS lists it for containers, houseplants, borders, mass planting, and specimen use. [NC State Extension](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/zamia-furfuracea/) [UF/IFAS](https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FP618) ## Maintenance Use a pot with drainage holes and let the soil dry before watering again. The seeds are toxic, so keep seed cones away from pets and children.