Zamia pumila: Country Or Region Of Origin
Greater Antillies, Florida
Plant Profile: Zamia pumila
Taxonomy: Zamia pumilaNames
Cardboard Palm, Coontie Palm, cycads and zamias, Sago Palm
Phonetic Spelling:ZAM-ee-uh POO-mil-uh
Genus:Zamia
Species:pumila
Family:Zamiaceae
Florida Arrowroot is a low-growing, woody plant belonging to the cycad family, indigenous to Florida. Its compound leaves emerge from a robust underground stem, unfurling in a manner reminiscent of ferns. This evergreen species typically reaches heights of 1 to 3 feet and gradually develops into clumps over time. Notably, it exhibits greater cold tolerance than many other cycads, making it suitable for cultivation in USDA hardiness zone 7b.
This plant thrives in sandy to sandy loam soils and prefers full sun to partial shade. Its resilience to drought and salt makes it an excellent choice for coastal landscapes. Florida Arrowroot can be utilized as ground cover to create a tropical ambiance or as a standout specimen or foundation plant.
For additional details on Zamia, please refer to further resources.
Tags
#evergreen
#poisonous
#drought tolerant
#specimen
#salt tolerant
#large leaves
#foundation planting
#groundcover
#cycad
#problem for cats
#problem for dogs
#problem for horses
#tropical feel
Similar Plants
Zamia pumila Feature Summary
Attributes
Greater Antillies, Florida
FL, GA
Larval host to the Atala butterfly.
Woody
Flowers
No true flowers. Male cones are cylindrical and often clustered. The female cones are elongate-ovoid and reddish. Appear on separate male and female plants.
Leaves
Large stiff pinnately compound leaves 2-4 feet long with 5 to 30 pairs of leaflets. Leaflets are linear to lanceolate, 3-9 inches long and 1/2 inch wide.
Broadleaf Evergreen
Green
Simple
Other/more complex
Linear
Lanceolate
Serrate
> 6 inches
Glossy
Rough
< 1 inch
Poisonous to Humans
Vomiting (may be bloody), dark stools, headache, stomach pain, jaundice, increased thirst, bloody diarrhea, bruising, liver failure, death. 1-2 seeds can be fatal
Glycoside, Cycasin, B-methylamino-l-alanine, unidentified neurotoxin (cattle)
Medium
Seeds
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Poisonous
Broadleaf Evergreen
Clumping
Slow
Low
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Dry
Coastal
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
10a
10b
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Stem
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Foundation Planting
Specimen
Drought
Salt
Coastal
Butterflies
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Zamia pumila Image Gallery
Zamia pumila Attributes
Zamia pumila: Distribution
FL, GA
Zamia pumila: Wildlife Value
Larval host to the Atala butterfly.
Zamia pumila: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Zamia pumila Flowers
Zamia pumila: Flower Description
No true flowers. Male cones are cylindrical and often clustered. The female cones are elongate-ovoid and reddish. Appear on separate male and female plants.
Zamia pumila Leaves
Zamia pumila: Leaf Description
Large stiff pinnately compound leaves 2-4 feet long with 5 to 30 pairs of leaflets. Leaflets are linear to lanceolate, 3-9 inches long and 1/2 inch wide.
Zamia pumila: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Zamia pumila: Leaf Color
Green
Zamia pumila: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Zamia pumila: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Zamia pumila: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Zamia pumila: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Zamia pumila: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Zamia pumila: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Zamia pumila: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Zamia pumila: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Zamia pumila: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Zamia pumila Poisonous to Humans
Zamia pumila: Poison Symptoms
Vomiting (may be bloody), dark stools, headache, stomach pain, jaundice, increased thirst, bloody diarrhea, bruising, liver failure, death. 1-2 seeds can be fatal
Zamia pumila: Poison Toxic Principle
Glycoside, Cycasin, B-methylamino-l-alanine, unidentified neurotoxin (cattle)
Zamia pumila: Poison Severity
High
Low
Medium
Zamia pumila: Causes Contact Dermatitis
No
Yes
Zamia pumila: Poison Part
Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems
Zamia pumila Whole Plant Traits
Zamia pumila: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Zamia pumila: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Zamia pumila: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Zamia pumila: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Zamia pumila: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Zamia pumila Cultural Conditions
Zamia pumila: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Zamia pumila: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Zamia pumila: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Zamia pumila: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
10a
10b
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Zamia pumila: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Zamia pumila Stem
Zamia pumila: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Zamia pumila Landscape
Zamia pumila: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Zamia pumila: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Zamia pumila: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Zamia pumila: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Zamia pumila: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
Zamia pumila: Problems
Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy
