Cycads in Cuba

Please find the photos of some of the Cuban cycads growing in the Havana Botanical Garden by Boris Vrškový.

Species in Cuba

There is still a substantial confusion concerning the number of species growing in Cuba. However the database Flora de Cuba mentions the following species growing in Cuba:

1. •Microcycas calocoma
   

2. •Zamia angustifolia
   

3. •Zamia erosa (amblyphillidia)
   

4. •Zamia integrifolia
   

5. •Zamia ottonis
   

6. •Zamia pumila
   

7. •Zamia pygmaea - western Cuba and Isla de Juventud
   

8. •Zamia stricta - eastern Cuba around Pico Turquino
   

Other authors mention also the Zamia kickxii and there were also other species described in the past, like Zamia silicea and Zamia media fm. calcicola. In the Czech republic also a Zamia sp. Vinales is available from the western Cuban region of Vinales.

Flora de Cuba Database

Those interested in the Cuban cycads should know the Flora de Cuba database. Clicking on the arrows will get you the localities for the given species (Red arrow) and maps (green arrow).

1. •Flora de Cuba - see the database and find your species, then click on the arrows.
   

Cycads in Europe & other countries

Read more in our articles

1. •Czech Republic (CZ) - some of the text can be also found on our English homepage - with some of the oldest Encephalartos altensteinii and the tallest Cycas circinales and Microcycas calocoma in Europe as well as a nice collection of fossil cycads
   

2. •Belgium (CZ) - This article adds some information to the text published in Whitelock on Encephalartos laurentianus, the species described from the plants from the Belgian Congo, still in collection in Meise
   

3. •Cuba (EN) and the Havana Botanical Garden - isolated country with not much information published abroad
   

4. •Denmark (EN) with the oldest Zamia lindenii in Europe
   

5. •Ireland (EN) - great old E. woodii, hildebrandtii and other cycads
   

6. •Netherlands (EN) with a beautiful collection in Leiden
   

7. •Poland (EN) with some historical plants from the original Warszewicz garden in Krakow and a fantastic group of Stangerias and 200 yrs old plants of Ceratozamia mexicana
   

8. •Slovakia (EN) - with one of the EU well known cycad seed sellers
   

9. •Sweden (EN) with probably the largest Zamia pseudoparasitica on public display in Europe
   

Photos

1. 1.Zamia stricta - plant grown in the Havana Botanic Garden is supposed to come from only the Pico Turquino, the area bellow the highest Cuban mountain.
   

2. 2.Zamia angustifolia, from Cuba (not Bahamas), in Havana Botanic Garden is supposed to come from elsewhere.
   

Thanks to: Boris Vrškový for the photos