If its congener Lepidozamia hopei holds the record for the tallest cycad, then Lepidozamia peroffskyana holds one that is arguably even more impressive: this species produces female cones up to 90 cm long and weighing up to 45 kg — among the largest and heaviest reproductive structures in the entire cycad world, rivalled only by Encephalartos transvenosus from South Africa. The Pineapple Zamia — as Australians call it, for the rough, scale-textured trunk that recalls a giant pineapple — is the more southerly, more cold-hardy, and far more commonly cultivated of the two Lepidozamia species. Where Lepidozamia hopei is a denizen of the hot, wet Daintree lowlands, Lepidozamia peroffskyana occupies the subtropical and warm-temperate rainforests and wet sclerophyll forests of southeastern Queensland and northeastern New South Wales — a 700 km coastal strip from Gympie to the Manning River. Described in 1857 from a living plant cultivated at the St. Petersburg Botanical Garden in Russia — half a world from its home — and named for its benefactor, the Russian nobleman Count Vasily Alekseevich Peroffsky, it has been in cultivation since before the American Civil War. It is today one of the easiest, most attractive, and most “user-friendly” (no sharp edges, no spines) cycads for gardens and containers — a Lepidozamia that brings the deep-time grandeur of the cycad lineage into any warm-climate landscape.
Quick Facts
| Scientific name | Lepidozamia peroffskyana Regel |
| Family | Zamiaceae |
| Origin | SE Queensland and NE New South Wales, Australia |
| Adult size | Trunk to 4–7 m tall, up to 80 cm diameter; fronds 1.5–3 m long |
| Hardiness | −4 to −5 °C (25 to 23 °F) / USDA zones 9b–11 |
| IUCN | Near Threatened (NT) |
| CITES | Appendix II (all cycads) |
| Cultivation difficulty | 2/5 |
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
Lepidozamia peroffskyana was described by Eduard August von Regel in 1857 in the Bulletin de la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou (30(1): 184–185, fig. 21), based on a living plant cultivated at the St. Petersburg Botanical Garden. It is the type species of the genus Lepidozamia, and also the first species to be described in the genus — making it historically the plant that defined the concept of Lepidozamia.
The specific epithet honours Count Vasily Alekseevich Peroffsky (1794–1857), Governor of Orenburg Province, Russia, and a valued patron of the St. Petersburg Botanical Garden where the type plant was cultivated. The name thus links an Australian rainforest cycad to the Imperial Russian aristocracy — a connection forged through the global networks of 19th-century botanical gardens and the horticultural trade that transported living plants across oceans.
Synonyms: Encephalartos denisonii (C.Moore & F.Muell.) F.Muell. (1859); Lepidozamia denisonii (C.Moore & F.Muell.) Regel (1875); Macrozamia denisonii C.Moore & F.Muell.; Macrozamia denisonii var. denisonii J.Schust. (1932); Macrozamia peroffskyana (Regel) Miq.; Macrozamia gigas Miq.; Lepidozamia minor Miq.; Catakidozamia macleayi Miq.; Zamia macleayi J.Schust. — a remarkably long synonym list reflecting the species’ convoluted taxonomic history as it was shuffled between Encephalartos, Macrozamia, Catakidozamia, and Lepidozamia over six decades.
The genus name Lepidozamia derives from the Greek lepis (λεπίς), “scale,” and Zamia, a cycad genus — referring to the scale-like persistent leaf bases that clothe the trunk.
Common names: Pineapple Zamia (for the pineapple-textured trunk); Scaly Zamia; Burrawang Palm (a confusing name shared with Macrozamia communis).
Morphological Description
Lepidozamia peroffskyana is a large, palm-like, evergreen cycad — the tallest species in New South Wales.
Trunk: erect, cylindrical, usually unbranched, reaching 4–7 m in height (occasionally taller) and up to 80 cm in diameter. The trunk is clothed in persistent, spirally arranged leaf bases forming a distinctive rough, scaly texture — the “pineapple” character that gives the species its most common name. Bark exudate is sticky.
Leaves: forming a dense, spreading crown. Each leaf is pinnate, 1.5–3 m long, gracefully arching. A mature crown may carry numerous fronds, with plants in dense stands growing so prolifically that the fronds of adjacent individuals overlap. The petiole is rounded, 30–60 cm long.
Leaflets: approximately 200–250 per leaf, narrow, glossy, dark green, somewhat lax, spreading and softly coriaceous (leathery but flexible). Each leaflet is 10–30 cm long and 7–13 mm wide, with 7–13 parallel veins visible on the underside (a useful identification character — Lepidozamia hopei has 15–25 veins). A key diagnostic feature: the leaflets emerge from the upper midline of the rachis, not from the lateral edges — a genus-level character that distinguishes Lepidozamia from Macrozamia (where leaflets arise laterally). Unlike Macrozamia species, the leaflets lack a pronounced or coloured callous at the junction with the rachis, and they are not sharply pointed — making this one of the most “user-friendly” cycads for gardens and public spaces.
Cones: among the largest of any cycad — the species’ most spectacular reproductive feature.
- Male cones: grey-brown, broadly cylindrical, 45–75 cm long and 12–20 cm in diameter (extending to 1 m when fully distended and shedding pollen). They open in a distinctive spiral fashion. After pollen release, the sporophylls become a breeding chamber for the pollinating Tranes weevils.
- Female cones: barrel-shaped, grey-green to red, 40–90 cm long, 12–25 cm in diameter, weighing up to 45 kg. When ripe, the cone breaks apart to release over 100 seeds. These are among the largest cones of any cycad species, rivalled only by Encephalartos transvenosus.
A unique reproductive character: Lepidozamia peroffskyana has the rare capacity to produce sporophylls bearing 1 or 3 seeds (instead of the standard 2 seeds per sporophyll found in all Macrozamia species). The 3-seed sporophylls occur in the basal area of the cone, with two seeds in the normal position and the third sitting above in a triangular pattern. This character is unique within the Australian cycad flora.
Seeds: large, ovoid, 40–60 mm long and ~25 mm wide, with a bright red sarcotesta (occasionally yellow). The largest seeds of any New South Wales cycad.
Pollination: exclusively by host-specific Tranes group weevils (Curculionidae). The pioneering study by John Hall (University of Queensland) demonstrated that when Tranes weevils were experimentally excluded from female cones, the pollination rate dropped to essentially zero — while cones from which wind was excluded but insects permitted showed normal seed set. Airborne cycad pollen was not consistently detected beyond 2 m from a shedding male cone. This was one of the landmark studies proving that cycad pollination is insect-mediated, not wind-driven — overturning a long-held assumption about gymnosperm reproduction. The plant exudes a scent to attract the weevils to the cones.
Similar Species and Common Confusions
| Character | Lepidozamia peroffskyana | Lepidozamia hopei | Macrozamia spp. (e.g. M. communis) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum height | 4–7 m | 20 m (tallest cycad) | Usually <3 m (trunk often subterranean) |
| Leaflet veins | 7–13 | 15–25 | Variable |
| Leaflet insertion | Upper midline of rachis | Upper midline of rachis | Lateral (from edges of rachis) |
| Leaflet callous | Absent | Absent | Usually present (coloured) |
| Female cone weight | Up to 45 kg | Smaller (up to ~30 kg) | Variable, usually smaller |
| Distribution | SE QLD + NE NSW | Far north QLD (tropics) | Various, Australia-wide |
| Pollinator | Tranes weevils | Thrips | Tranes weevils |
The main confusion risk in the field is with Macrozamia species, particularly Macrozamia communis (Burrawang), which shares part of the range in New South Wales. The key diagnostic: leaflets of Lepidozamia arise from the upper midline of the rachis; those of Macrozamia arise from the lateral edges. Additionally, Macrozamia sporophylls bear elongated spine-like appendages absent in Lepidozamia.
Distribution and Natural Habitat
Lepidozamia peroffskyana is endemic to eastern Australia, with a distribution stretching approximately 700 km along the coast from Gympie (north of Brisbane, SE Queensland) to the Manning River near Forster (mid-north coast of New South Wales). The population size is estimated at more than 20,000 plants.
The species grows in wet sclerophyll forests, rainforest margins, coastal forests on stabilised sand dunes and sand hills, and on steep slopes, from sea level to approximately 1,000 m altitude. It normally occurs in large, dense stands under a eucalypt canopy or in rainforest ecotones, often in abundance. Near Dorrigo (the wettest town in NSW, ~2,000 mm annual rainfall), it grows prolifically at 700 m altitude.
The preferred habitat is sheltered slopes, gullies, and rainforest margins — positions with good moisture, filtered light, and well-drained loamy soils. The species tolerates a significantly wider range of habitats than Lepidozamia hopei, occurring in both subtropical rainforest and drier wet sclerophyll forest.
Climate in the native range:
| Parameter | SE QLD / NE NSW coast (Brisbane–Forster) |
|---|---|
| Mean annual temperature | 18–22 °C |
| Mean winter minimum | 6–12 °C |
| Historical minimum | −2 to −5 °C (frost regular at higher elevations) |
| Mean summer maximum | 26–32 °C |
| Annual rainfall | 1,000–2,000 mm (summer-dominant) |
| Köppen classification | Cfa (humid subtropical) |
This is a cooler, drier, and more seasonal climate than the Wet Tropics habitat of Lepidozamia hopei — explaining the species’ greater cold tolerance and its suitability for cultivation in a wider range of climates.
Conservation
Lepidozamia peroffskyana is listed as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List (2010 assessment). The species is “not considered to be at risk in the wild” according to the Australian Native Plants Society, with more than 20,000 plants in numerous large and stable populations. However, the Near Threatened status reflects ongoing pressure from habitat clearing (particularly for coastal urban development and agriculture) and the species’ reliance on intact forest habitat.
Additional threats include the cycad blue butterfly (Chilades pandava), an invasive pest from Southeast Asia that is spreading through eastern Australia, and illegal collection of large specimens.
Several populations occur within national parks and state forests in both Queensland and New South Wales, providing formal habitat protection. All cycads are listed on CITES Appendix II.
Cultivation
| Hardiness | −4 to −5 °C (25 to 23 °F) / USDA zones 9b–11 |
| Light | Filtered sun to partial shade (best); tolerates full sun if acclimated |
| Soil | Well-drained, sandy loam; slightly acidic to neutral pH |
| Watering | Regular but drought-tolerant once established |
| Adult size | Trunk 4–7 m; fronds 1.5–3 m |
| Growth rate | Moderate for a cycad (attractive foliage display in 3–4 years) |
| Difficulty | 2/5 |
Lepidozamia peroffskyana is one of the easiest cycads in the world to grow — a genuine “beginner’s cycad” that combines ruggedness, low maintenance, drought tolerance, and elegant aesthetics. It has been in cultivation since 1857 and is popular in landscaping across tropical, subtropical, and warm-temperate regions. Dave’s Garden lists it as hardy to USDA zone 9b (−3.8 °C).
Light: filtered sun to partial shade is ideal. The species can tolerate full sun if gradually acclimated, but frond colour bleaches and leaflets may scorch in hot, exposed positions. Plants growing under shrubs or tree canopies are generally more vigorous and produce richer green foliage. Avoid constant deep shade — bright, filtered light is the sweet spot.
Soil and drainage: well-drained, sandy or loamy soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. The native habitat ranges from stabilised sand dunes to mountain slopes with loamy forest soils. Good drainage is critical to prevent root rot. Soils rich in organic matter (humus) support healthy growth but must remain free-draining.
Watering: drought-tolerant once established — a significant advantage over Lepidozamia hopei. The species can withstand extended dry periods without supplemental watering. However, regular watering during the growing season promotes more vigorous growth and lusher foliage. In containers, water regularly but allow the substrate to drain thoroughly.
Cold hardiness: the hardier of the two Lepidozamia species by a significant margin. The native range extends into areas where frost is regular at higher elevations, and ANPSA notes it can tolerate light frosts. Estimated tolerance: −4 to −5 °C. USDA zone 9b minimum. It can be grown outdoors as far south as Melbourne in sheltered positions — an impressive range for an Australian cycad.
Container culture: excellent. The species is widely grown in containers, both outdoors and as an indoor plant. It produces an attractive foliage display within 3–4 years from seed and makes a superb architectural specimen on a patio, courtyard, or in a large indoor space. The lack of spines and sharp edges makes it safe for all settings.
Indoor culture: this plant can be cultivated as an indoor plant in temperate countries, given adequate light (bright indirect) and regular watering.
Fertilization: not demanding. Light applications of balanced slow-release fertilizer during the growing season enhance growth and frond colour.
Buying Advice
Availability: Lepidozamia peroffskyana is widely available from nurseries in Australia and from specialist cycad dealers internationally. It is the more commonly cultivated of the two Lepidozamia species and one of the most readily available Australian cycads. Seeds germinate easily without pretreatment. Prices are moderate.
Identification: the combination of leaflets arising from the upper midline of the rachis (not laterally), 7–13 parallel veins per leaflet, no sharp callous at the leaflet base, no spines, and the characteristic scaly trunk (in mature plants) is diagnostic. Distinguish from Lepidozamia hopei by the narrower leaflets with fewer veins (7–13 vs. 15–25) and by provenance (subtropical vs. tropical).
Propagation
Seed: the primary and essentially only method. Seeds germinate easily without scarification or other pretreatment — one of the simplest cycads to propagate. Sow in a well-draining seed-raising mix at 25–30 °C, keep moist. Germination is cryptocotylar, typically within 8–16 weeks. Handle the bright red sarcotesta with gloves — it is toxic and can irritate skin.
Offsets: the species rarely produces offsets or pups, so vegetative propagation is not a practical option.
Pests and Diseases
Scale insects: the most common pest problem. Easily controlled by removing affected fronds or treating with horticultural oil.
Cycad blue butterfly (Chilades pandava): an invasive pest whose caterpillars devour emerging soft fronds. An increasing threat across eastern Australia. Control with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) or manual removal.
Root rot: in waterlogged, poorly drained soil. Prevention through substrate choice.
Toxicity: all parts are toxic (cycasin). The red sarcotesta is particularly attractive to children and animals — ensure awareness in garden settings. Toxic to dogs, cats, livestock, and humans.
Landscape Use
Lepidozamia peroffskyana is one of the most versatile and attractive cycads for landscape use in subtropical and warm-temperate gardens. Its combination of elegance (graceful, arching, glossy dark green fronds up to 3 m long), safety (no spines, no sharp edges), moderate cold tolerance (zone 9b), drought tolerance once established, and ease of cultivation makes it suitable for an exceptionally wide range of garden settings. Use it as a specimen tree in a mixed tropical or subtropical border, in a shaded courtyard or patio, along a driveway, or as a container plant on a terrace. It pairs beautifully with palms (Archontophoenix, Livistona), tree ferns (Cyathea, Dicksonia), other cycads (Macrozamia, Bowenia), and shade-loving understory plants. The spectacular cones — when produced — are a conversation piece: a 45 kg barrel of seeds sheathed in bright red sarcotesta is not something you see every day in a garden. For gardeners seeking a cycad that is impressive but undemanding, architecturally striking but not aggressive, and historically significant but commercially accessible, Lepidozamia peroffskyana is the obvious choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Lepidozamia peroffskyana differ from Lepidozamia hopei?
It is shorter (4–7 m vs. 20 m), produces heavier cones (up to 45 kg vs. ~30 kg), has narrower leaflets with fewer veins (7–13 vs. 15–25), is more cold-hardy (−4/−5 °C vs. −1/−3 °C), and grows in subtropical/warm-temperate forest rather than tropical rainforest. It is also much more commonly cultivated.
How do I tell Lepidozamia from Macrozamia?
Check where the leaflets arise from the rachis. In Lepidozamia, leaflets emerge from the upper midline (top centre); in Macrozamia, they emerge from the lateral edges (sides). Also, Macrozamia sporophylls have elongated spine-like appendages absent in Lepidozamia, and Macrozamia leaflets typically have a coloured callous at the base.
How large can the female cones get?
Female cones can reach 90 cm in length and weigh up to 45 kg — among the largest and heaviest reproductive structures of any cycad. They are rivalled only by Encephalartos transvenosus from South Africa.
What pollinates Lepidozamia peroffskyana?
Exclusively by host-specific Tranes group weevils. Experiments proved that when weevils were excluded, pollination dropped to zero; when wind was excluded but weevils permitted, pollination was normal. This was one of the landmark studies overturning the long-held assumption that cycads are wind-pollinated.
Is Lepidozamia peroffskyana toxic?
Yes. Like all cycads, all parts contain cycasin and other toxic glycosides. The bright red sarcotesta is particularly dangerous because it is visually attractive. Toxic to dogs, cats, livestock, and humans.
Authority Websites and Databases
POWO — Plants of the World Online (Kew)
https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:297151-1
The accepted nomenclatural record. Full synonymy.
World List of Cycads — cycadlist.org
https://cycadlist.org/scientific_name/372
Nomenclatural record: first published in Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 30(1): 184–185 (1857). Etymology (Haynes 2022): honouring Count Vasily Alekseevich Peroffsky (1794–1857), Governor of Orenburg Province, patron of the St. Petersburg Botanical Garden. Full synonymy.
PACSOA — Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia
https://pacsoa.org.au/wiki/index.php/Lepidozamia_peroffskyana
The most comprehensive English-language grower’s account. Distribution (700 km, Taree to Gympie), habitat (dense stands, overlapping fronds), pollination by Tranes weevils (Hall thesis), unique 3-seed sporophylls, cone dimensions, detailed cultivation notes. Essential reading.
ANPSA — Australian Native Plants Society
https://anpsa.org.au/plant_profiles/lepidozamia-peroffskyana/
Concise cultivation profile: “not demanding in its requirements providing drainage is good,” withstands extended dry periods, best in dappled shade, propagation from seed without pretreatment.
LLIFLE Encyclopedia
https://llifle.com/Encyclopedia/PALMS_AND_CYCADS/…
Comprehensive entry with morphological measurements, habitat (sand dunes, sand hills, steep slopes, eucalypt canopy), cone dimensions (female to 90 cm, 45 kg), seed details (40–60 mm, red or occasionally yellow sarcotesta), cultivation notes (easy, fast in good conditions, user-friendly, no spines).
Australian National Botanic Gardens — Growing Native Plants
https://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/…
Concise profile with climate data (summer 19–32 °C, winter 6–22 °C), soil preferences (sandy loam, slightly acidic to neutral), and practical cultivation advice. Notes suitability as a feature plant, container plant, and indoor plant.
Hall, J. A., & Walter, G. H. (2004) — Pollination ecology
Australian Journal of Botany 52(3): 333–339
The landmark experimental study proving exclusive insect pollination by Tranes weevils. Demonstrated zero pollination with weevil exclusion, normal pollination with wind exclusion. Airborne cycad pollen undetectable beyond 2 m from a shedding male cone. Overturned the wind-pollination paradigm for cycads.
NSW PlantNET — Lepidozamia peroffskyana
https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Lepidozamia~peroffskyana
Official NSW Flora treatment: trunk 0.5–7 m, leaves 2–3 m, pinnae ~200, 10–30 cm × 7–13 mm, 7–13 veins.
Bibliography
Hall, J. A., & Walter, G. H. (2004). Pollination ecology of the Australian cycad Lepidozamia peroffskyana (Zamiaceae). Australian Journal of Botany, 52(3), 333–339.
Hill, K. D. (1998). Lepidozamia. In P. M. McCarthy (Ed.), Flora of Australia, 48, 639–641.
Johnson, L. A. S. (1959). The families of cycads and the Zamiaceae of Australia. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 84, 64–117.
Jones, D. L. (2002). Cycads of the World (2nd ed.). New Holland Publishers, Sydney.
Norstog, K. J., & Nicholls, T. J. (1997). The Biology of the Cycads. Cornell University Press, Ithaca.
Regel, E. A. von (1857). Zwei neue Cycadeen, die im Botanischen Garten zu Petersburg kultivirt werden, nebst Beiträgen zur Kenntniss dieser Familie. Bulletin de la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou, 30(1), 182–190.
Whitelock, L. M. (2002). The Cycads. Timber Press, Portland.