Encephalartos natalensis

The giant cycad of the KwaZulu-Natal coastal area and the Valley of a Thousand Hills grows a stem of over 6 m. Its habitat lies in the rocky valleys and forest margins. At least one specimen with an estimated age of a thousand years is growing here. Many magnificent trees of this species hide among the rocky crags for hikers to admire.

An old stem may have a diameter of 40 cm. Young leaves and new cones endow the crown of the tree with a woolly appearance for a limited period. This characteristic differentiates Encephalartos natalensis from E. altensteinii and E. senticosus, two species that resemble it. According to some authorities the three constitute geographical forms of the same species (Coates Palgrave, 2002; www.wild-about-you.com).