Zamia furfuracea

Cardboard Palm / Cardboard Cycad / Cardboard Plant / Mexican Cycad / Jamaican Sago

Botanical Name: Zamia furfuracea
Family: Zamiaceae
Origin: Eastern Mexico
Plant Type: Evergreen cycad (shrub-forming)

Overview

Zamia furfuracea is a tough, architectural cycad that thrives in Adelaide’s Mediterranean climate. Its broad, cardboard-textured leaflets form a tidy rosette that holds year-round, shifting in colour with the seasons and light. Low-water and long-lived, it’s ideal for modern, coastal and xeriscape designs, or as a dramatic pot specimen.

Key Features

• Mature Size: 0.6–1 m H × 0.8–1.5 m W (clumping over time)
• Growth Rate: 10-20 cm per year under good conditions
• Foliage: Thick, spineless, leathery leaflets on arching fronds; bold, textural form
• Flowers/Cones: Dioecious cones (not showy flowers) on mature plants, mainly late spring–summer
  
• Seasonal Interest: Evergreen structure; occasional cone display on mature plants; subtle colour shifts with season and light
• Wildlife Value: Provides dry-garden habitat/cover; cones may interest specialist insects
• Tolerance: Drought, heat, coastal & wind tolerant; light frost tolerant if soil is free-draining (protect hard frosts)
• Planting Density: Specimen/accent: 1 per 0.8–1 m² • Mass: 1–2 plants per m²
• Pet Friendly: Toxic if ingested (all parts, especially seeds); site away from pets/children

Where It Works Best

• Sunlight: Full sun to part shade (best colour and form in bright light; in hottest inland spots, give afternoon shade)
• Soil: Well-drained sandy/loam/gravel; excels in raised beds, mounds and large containers; avoid waterlogging
• Water Needs: Establishment: 2 deep soaks/week for 8–12 weeks. Established: deep soak every 2–4 weeks in summer (more in heatwaves); usually none in winter if rains are normal
• Maintenance: Remove oldest/yellowing fronds at base; minimal fertiliser—use slow-release palm/cycad feed in spring; refresh mulch annually
• Lifespan: 25-50+ years
• Climate Zones: Suited to temperate & Mediterranean SA, including coastal suburbs
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral preferred; tolerates mildly alkaline if drainage is excellent

Landscape & Design Ideas

• Container hero for courtyards/entries and pool zones (low litter); use 50–60 cm+ pots with gritty mix
• Contrast planting: pair with silver/blue foliage (westringia, blue chalk sticks) or fine grasses (Lomandra, Themeda) to highlight its bold texture
• Sculptural focal point in modern or coastal schemes; striking set in gravel, stone mulch or low groundcovers

Why You Will Love It

A set-and-forget showpiece: bold, clean lines, colour-shifting foliage and excellent drought tolerance for Adelaide conditions. Spineless leaves make it friendlier near paths than spiky yuccas, and its long life and container versatility deliver enduring value with minimal effort.