Cycads in Slovakia

This hub of growers in Slovakia has not created a substantial cycads collection yet. However, some cycads are grown in several of Slovak botanical gardens:

The most important Slovak collection of cycads can be found in the second largest Slovak city of Košice: Cycas circinalis, Cycas revoluta, Cycas rumphii, Dioon edule, Ceratozamia mexicana, Encephalartos villosus, Encephalartos ferox, Zamia furfuracea, Zamia integrifolia and Zamia loddigesii are planted in the exhibition and the garden also grows cycads seedlings in the research greenhouses.

In around 1990 the biggest plants were planted in the ground in their wooden barrels (Cycas, Dioon, Ceratozamia and Encephalartos) and later replanted without them. The oldest cycad is over 100 years old, coming from a private collection, the tallest Cycas rumphii is around 2.5 meters tall.

Bratislava

Bratislava Botanic Garden in the capital city is visibly under financed, the green houses need restoration. Cycads are not the main interest here. Some of the few cycads growing in this garden can be found on our photos, under the titles of Ceratozamia sabatoi, Zamia pygmaea plus a young Encephalartos plant bearing the wrong title of a Zamia fischeri.

The Slovak University of Agriculture (SAU) in the town of Nitra has a small collection of younger cycads accessible to the public in their botanic garden, aged between 10-15 years:

Cycas siamensis, Zamia fischeri (2), Zamia furfuracea (2), Cycas revoluta and a Lepidozamia sp.

The plants were received mostly from private collectors.

Zvolen

The Arboretum Borová Hora in the town of Zvolen which has a nice cacti collection in their greenhouse does not grow cycads.

KPR - Major Seeds Seller

Slovakia is also the seat of KPR - one of the two European cycads seeds sellers. Their offer can be found here http://www.kpr.eu/.

Cycads in Europe & other countries

We are gradually mapping the European collection of cycads. Until now, we have done the following. 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 circinalis and Microcycas calocoma in Europe as well as a nice collection of fossil cycads
   

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

3. •Cuba (EN) overview of the 8 Cuban species according to Flora de Cuba, with rare habitat photos - isolated country with not much information published abroad. The only article on the web.
   

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

5. •Ireland (EN) - the birthplace of Ceratozamia fuscoviridis in Dublin
   

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

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

8. •Portugal (EN) - see also our photo gallery from Lisbon
   

9. •Russia (EN) - CVs of Küster, Katzer and Perovsky after whom cycads were named
   

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

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

We are usually using the names of the species as described by the gardens, even though sometimes a re-evaluation of the description might be needed.

1. 1.Cycas circinalis in Košice
   

2. 2.Ceratozamia sabatoi in Bratislava
   

3. 3.Dioon edule in Košice
   

4. 4.Encephalartos ferox in Košice
   

5. 5. Zamia pygmaea in Košice
   

The names used were delivered by the gardens themselves

Thanks to: Botanical gardens of Košice (Klara Repcakova) and Bratislava for their helpfulness and photos when preparing this article.