Cica

La Cika (Cyca revoluta) it is one of the plants that we could consider a "living fossil". It existed before dinosaurs appeared and, in fact, it is believed that they began their evolution more than 300 million years ago. An evolution that, despite the time that has already passed, has hardly changed it much. All of it is designed to withstand different climates, both very hot and cold, so it is perfect to have in all types of gardens, regardless of the temperatures in the area.

And if that were not enough, it can grow in all types of soils, including limestone. And, what is even more interesting: it is very, very easy to care for. If you do not believe me, Take a look at this guide on the Cica that we have prepared for you.

Humans like the cica, not everyone of course, but a good number of them do. The proof of this is that it has become very popular in practically the whole world, except in the poles and deserts, since although it is very rustic, does not tolerate extreme temperatures. But for the rest, it decorates the parks and public and private gardens of many, many people. Why? Well, before answering that question, let's first see what its main features are.

Characteristics of the Cica

Cica is a plant scientifically known by the name of Cycas revoluta, but it is commonly called Sago Palm or just Cica 🙂. It belongs to the botanical family Cicadaceae, and is native to southern Japan. It has a cylindrical stem covered with scars left by the leaves as they fall. Leaves that by the way are pinnate, of an intense green color on the upper side, and lighter on the underside, up to 150cm long and coriaceous (that is to say, a little hard). It grows slowly to a total height of 3m, but in cultivation it rarely exceeds 2m.

It is a dioecious plant, that is, there are male feet and female feet. The former emit a lateral spike that can reach 60cm in height; On the other hand, the latter have rounded cones which contain the macrospores, which are female spores.

It must also be said that it is very toxic if any part of the plant is ingested, especially the seeds as they contain a higher level of cicasin, that is, of the toxin. Symptoms of poisoning can range from mild gastrointestinal irritation to liver failure. For this reason it is extremely important to avoid putting it in gardens where there are small children and / or pets. Dogs and cats tend to ignore it, but if you don't want to risk it, better put another plant.

Has a life expectancy of 300 years.

Is the cica a palm tree?

Despite its appearance, it is not a palm tree. The cica, as we said, belongs to the family of the cicadaceae; palms, on the other hand, are from the Arecaceae family. Our protagonist has a much older origin, and also unlike palm trees produce spores to reproduce.

It is a plant from the kingdom of Gymnosperms (such as conifers or the Ginkgo tree), which was the first to inhabit planet Earth about 400 million years ago.

Cica care

The cica is very rustic and adaptable, being able to have it both in pot and in the garden. Let's see what care it requires in one place or another:

Potted

Thanks to its slow growth and its small size, it can be kept in pots to decorate, for example, the balcony, terrace or home. To have it perfect, it is recommended to take care of it as follows:

• Location: it will grow best in direct sun outside, but may be in semi-shade. Indoors put in a very bright room.
• Irrigation: occasional, avoiding waterlogging. Ideally, let the substrate dry completely before watering again.
• Substratum: with good drainage. A good mix would be equal parts black peat and perlite.
• Transplant: every 2-3 years, in spring, to a 2-3cm wider pot.
• Subscriber: From spring to summer, it is advisable to fertilize with a mineral fertilizer for green plants combined with a liquid organic fertilizer, such as guano. Pay once with one and after a month with another.
• Pruning: It is not necessary to prune, but leaves that are already yellow and / or brown can be removed.

On the floor

If you have even a small garden, the cica can look great in any corner, such as near the entrance of the house. It is cared for as follows:

• Location: It is advisable to plant it in an area where it gets direct sun.
• Irrigation: During the first and second years, it should be watered at least once a week. From the third, as its root system will have already adapted to the terrain and growing conditions, the waterings can be spaced a little, leaving one every 15 days.
• Ground: it is not demanding in terms of soil type.
• Transplant: the time to transfer it from the pot to the ground will be in spring, proceeding to make a 50cm x 50cm planting hole. It can also be done in summer if you live in a mild climate.
  If you want to move it from soil to pot, you must make four 50-60cm deep trenches, and with a laya (which is a kind of straight shovel), it is pried until the plant comes out with the root ball. Afterwards, it is planted in a large pot - at least 30cm in diameter - with porous substrate such as black peat and perlite in equal parts. Then, it is located in a sunny area and watered.
• Subscriber: It is not very necessary, but it will grow much better and we will avoid problems if we fertilize it from spring to early autumn, with the same fertilizers as in the previous case (mineral fertilizer one month, liquid organic fertilizer the next).
• Pruning: remove yellow and / or brown leaves.

Whether it is in a pot or in the ground, it is important to know that it resists frosts down to -11ºC and temperatures as high as 42ºC.

Reproduction of the Cica

The Cica is a plant that, due to its slow growth, is usually reproduced more by suckers, although it can also be done by seeds. Let us know how to proceed in each case:

By hijuelos

In spring, the suckers that come out of the base of the mother plant are cut with a knife without a saw, and the base of our future Cicas is impregnated with liquid rooting hormones. After, it will be left to plant them in individual pots with a substrate that has good drainage (like black peat and perlite in equal parts, or substitute perlite for river sand), and water.

Finally, they will be placed in an area protected from direct sun and given generous watering. Important: prevent the substrate from drying out completely and getting waterlogged. Too much or too little water can endanger the young.

By seeds

The seeds must be introduced in a glass of water for two days, renewing it every 24 hours. Then a pot is filled with equal parts perlite and vermiculite, watered, and the seeds are sown until they are half buried more or less.

Will germinate in 2-6 months, always keeping the substrate moist. They have a very irregular germination. But if you keep them near a heat source, at a temperature of 20-25ºC, they will germinate earlier than expected.

Pests and diseases of Cica

Cica is generally very resistant to pests and diseases, but a mistake in cultivation can seriously damage it.

Pests

The plague that can affect you are the mealybugs. These insects love the hot and dry climate of summer, so if the plant shows any signs of weakness, they will take the opportunity to drink its sap.

As seen with the naked eye, can be removed with a swab from the ears dipped in soap and water, or even with the same cloth. But if there are many, I recommend using a chemical insecticide like Chlorpyrifos.

Management

If we talk about diseases, the one that could affect you would be some of the fungal (by fungi). Fungi appear if there is excess moisture, damaging the roots. They are difficult to treat, so it is important not to overdo the risks, and to do preventive treatments during spring and fall with sulfur or copper.

Other problems of the Cica

In addition to mealybugs and fungi, you can also have other problems, but these are more closely related to growing conditions:

• Leaves with small yellow spots and dry tips: potassium deficiency. Fertilize with a fertilizer rich in this mineral.
• Yellow lower leaves: excess water or compost. Suspend the irrigation and the subscriber for 15-20 days.
• Leaves that lose color until dry: It can be for various reasons, such as too low temperatures, improper location or excess water. Depending on the cause, it will be necessary to proceed in one way or another. For example, if it is cold, I advise you to wrap it with a thermal blanket; if it is due to an incorrect location, if possible change it; and if it is due to excess water, suspend watering for two weeks.
• Leaves that turn ugly overnight: This usually happens if we buy it in a nursery where they had it in an area protected from direct sun, and we pass it directly to a very sunny area. In this case, it must be placed in a semi-shaded area, and gradually accustomed to direct sunlight (20 minutes one week, 40 minutes the next, etc.).

And so far the Cica special. Did you like it?