Dioon merolae Trachystemon The stunning

The stunning

the flower emerges alongside the tripartite leaf

sword-like

compact clumps are topped with clusters of quarter-sized clear yellow

The 8" tall x 18" wide clump is composed of very thick

Dioon merolae Trachystemon The stunningThe endangered Mexican cycad Dioon merolae has been a nice surprise in our winter hardiness trials, surviving 7 degrees F so far. This was quite a surprise since it hails from the more southern provinces of Chiapas and Oaxaca where it can be found on steep sandstone cliffs near waterways in pine oak forests. Dioon merolae, named in 1981 after Italian botanist Aldo Merole, forms a slow growing solitary specimen with 3' long, stiff, upright, green