There is a group of cycads that every collector covets but almost no one in Europe or temperate North America can grow well. The Australian blue cycads — Cycas couttsiana, Cycas ophiolitica, Cycas cairnsiana — along with tropical Asian species like Cycas siamensis “Silver”, are among the most beautiful plants in the genus Cycas. On their own roots, in a European greenhouse or conservatory, they sulk. They grow agonisingly slowly — if they grow at all. They rot at the first hint of cool, wet conditions. Many collectors have tried. Most have failed.
French cycad specialist Simon Lavaud, who runs the Cycadales nursery (cycadales.eu), has developed a practical solution that transforms the prospects for these difficult species: grafting them onto Cycas revoluta rootstock. The results — tested over years of careful work with container-grown plants under shelter — are dramatic: growth rates up to five times faster than ungrafted plants, near-total elimination of root rot, and robust specimens that thrive where their ungrafted counterparts would struggle or die.
The problem: why Australian and tropical Cycas fail in European cultivation
Species like Cycas couttsiana (the blue cycad of Queensland) evolved in tropical or subtropical Australia, where summers are long, hot, and wet, and winters are warm and dry. Transplant them to a European greenhouse — even a heated one in southern France, Italy, or Spain — and several problems compound:
Insufficient heat accumulation. European summers, even in the Mediterranean, are shorter and cooler than those of tropical Queensland. The plants receive fewer growing degree-days per year, and their metabolism — already slow by angiosperm standards — slows further. Growth stalls.
Root rot in cool, wet conditions. This is the killer. The root systems of tropical Cycas species evolved for warm, well-drained substrates that never experience prolonged cool moisture. In a European pot, even under shelter, the combination of lower winter temperatures and a substrate that stays moist for days triggers Phytophthora and Fusarium root rot. The roots fail, the caudex softens, and the plant dies — often after years of careful nursing, which makes the loss all the more painful.
The vicious cycle of slow growth and vulnerability. A plant that grows slowly produces less root mass, which means less resilience to stress, which means more vulnerability to rot, which further slows growth. On their own roots, many Australian Cycas in European conditions are locked in a slow decline that masquerades as mere stasis.
The solution: Cycas revoluta as universal rootstock
The insight behind Simon Lavaud’s approach is simple and elegant: Cycas revoluta has the toughest, most adaptable root system of any commonly available cycad. It thrives in European conditions. It tolerates cool winters, wet substrates, temperature fluctuations, and imperfect drainage that would kill a tropical species. Its roots are, in effect, European-proof.
By grafting a tropical or subtropical scion (the desired species) onto a Cycas revoluta rootstock, the grafter gives the scion access to a root system that is perfectly adapted to the conditions it will face. The scion brings the beauty — the blue foliage of Cycas couttsiana, the silver leaves of Cycas siamensis “Silver” — while the rootstock provides the engine: robust, rot-resistant roots that drive vigorous nutrient and water uptake even in suboptimal conditions.
Documented results
Simon Lavaud has tested this technique extensively on container-grown plants maintained under shelter (greenhouse or covered growing area), with the following results:
Growth acceleration. Grafted plants grow approximately five times faster than ungrafted specimens of the same species in the same conditions. For species that might produce one small flush of fronds per year on their own roots — or none at all — this is a transformative difference. A grafted Cycas couttsiana that would take a decade to develop a presentable caudex on its own roots can reach the same stage in two to three years.
Root rot elimination. The Cycas revoluta rootstock handles moisture and cool temperatures with the same ease it does as an independent plant. The grafted specimens are not prone to root rot — the primary cause of death for ungrafted Australian cycads in European cultivation. Watering management becomes as straightforward as for a standard Cycas revoluta.
Ease of care. Grafted plants can be managed using the same care regime as Cycas revoluta — a species that even beginners can grow successfully. The intimidating reputation of Australian blue cycads in cultivation is largely neutralised by the graft.
Species tested
To date, the technique has been applied successfully to the following species grafted onto Cycas revoluta rootstock, all maintained in containers under shelter:
Cycas couttsiana — one of the bluest cycad species in the world, native to central Queensland. Notoriously difficult on its own roots in Europe. Grafted specimens produce vigorous blue foliage and develop caudex mass rapidly. This is the species on which the technique has been most extensively tested.
Cycas siamensis “Silver” — a striking silver-leaved form of the Thai elephant-foot cycad. On its own roots, it grows extremely slowly in European conditions. Grafted onto revoluta, it responds with strong growth.
The technique is in principle applicable to any Cycas species — the genus shares sufficient anatomical and physiological compatibility for intergenic grafting within Cycas to succeed. Species that would be logical candidates for future grafting trials include Cycas cairnsiana (another Australian blue), Cycas ophiolitica (blue-green, Queensland), Cycas media (for accelerated growth), and other tropical species that struggle in temperate cultivation.
The limitations — what grafting does not solve
Honesty about the technique’s boundaries is essential. Simon Lavaud is transparent about the drawbacks, and any grower considering this approach should understand them before starting:
No transfer of cold hardiness. The Cycas revoluta rootstock does not transmit its frost tolerance to the scion. A Cycas couttsiana grafted onto revoluta is still a tropical plant above the graft union — its foliage will be killed by frost just as readily as an ungrafted plant. The rootstock protects against rot and drives growth, but the scion’s aerial parts remain governed by the scion’s own genetics. Grafted tropical species must still be kept under shelter and frost-free in winter.
Rootstock suckering. Cycas revoluta is a prolific producer of basal offsets (pups), and this tendency continues — often increases — when the plant is used as a rootstock. The offsets must be removed regularly to prevent the rootstock from diverting energy away from the scion. This is a recurring maintenance task, not a one-time operation. Expect to remove offsets at least once or twice per growing season.
Increased iron demand. Cycas revoluta is notably hungry for iron, and this demand is passed upward through the graft to the scion. Grafted plants benefit from regular applications of chelated iron or blood meal — at least twice per year during the growing season. Without this supplementation, chlorosis (yellowing) of the scion’s foliage can develop, particularly in alkaline substrates where iron availability is already limited.
Tested in containers under shelter only. The documented results described above were obtained with plants grown in pots and maintained under cover — a greenhouse, polytunnel, or similar sheltered growing environment. The technique has not been systematically tested in open ground with direct exposure to winter rainfall. This is an important distinction: the controlled environment of container culture under shelter is integral to the results, not incidental. Growers should not assume that a grafted plant can be planted out in the open garden and achieve the same performance.
The grafting technique in principle
Cycad grafting follows the same fundamental principles as grafting in fruit trees or ornamental conifers: a scion (a section of the desired species containing the growing point) is joined to a rootstock (the root system of a compatible species) so that the vascular tissues unite and the scion grows on the rootstock’s roots. The specific protocols for cycad grafting are more specialised and less widely documented than those for angiosperms, reflecting the fact that cycad grafting is practised by only a handful of skilled nurserymen worldwide.
The general approach involves selecting a healthy, well-established Cycas revoluta rootstock of appropriate size (caudex 7–10 cm diameter is a good starting point), preparing the scion from a young plant or offset of the desired species, making clean cuts to expose the vascular tissue of both rootstock and scion, joining them with firm contact and binding, and maintaining the grafted plant in warm, humid conditions until the union heals and new growth emerges — typically several months.
The technique requires practice, patience, and a willingness to accept a failure rate — not every graft takes. Simon Lavaud’s success rate, built over years of refinement, reflects the skill of an experienced practitioner. Beginners should expect a learning curve and should start with expendable material.
Implications for the cycad hobby
The significance of this technique extends beyond the individual species tested. If Cycas revoluta can serve as a universal rootstock for the genus — and the evidence so far suggests it can — then it opens the door to growing dozens of rare and beautiful Cycas species that are currently all but impossible for collectors outside the tropics. The blue cycads of Australia, the caudiciform species of Southeast Asia, the bipinnate cycads of the China-Vietnam karst — all of these could potentially benefit from the vigor, rot resistance, and adaptability of a revoluta root system.
For the conservation-minded collector, there is an additional benefit: grafted plants of rare species can be grown more successfully, which reduces the pressure to collect from the wild and increases the ex situ population of threatened taxa. A thriving grafted Cycas couttsiana in a European greenhouse is a small contribution to the survival of a species under pressure in its native habitat.
The technique also has commercial potential. Grafted blue cycads are spectacularly beautiful plants that command premium prices — and rightfully so, given the skill required to produce them and the years of development behind the method. Simon Lavaud’s nursery (cycadales.eu) is currently the primary commercial source for grafted Cycas in Europe, and his plants represent the state of the art in this emerging field.
Where to learn more
Simon Lavaud’s nursery, Cycadales, offers grafted Cycas for sale and provides detailed care information with each plant: https://cycadales.eu
For the broader context of cycad cultivation, including species profiles for many of the species discussed here, see our comprehensive cycad section on this site.