Dioon Edule “Queretaro Blue”

[Meangreen94z]

I bought 2 of these a while ago that had been underpotted and neglected for years in a green house. I put them out in almost all day sun, now one of them is flushing. I’m hoping the new leaves have the more bluish tint to them.

[Stan]

The second photo shows the blue you never see in plain D.edule. Good cycad..takes cold and is blue. Nice combo!

[Meangreen94z]

It looks like it varies greatly but some can get considerably bluer. Here’s a picture from from Dave’s garden(Geoff Stein)for reference, I would hope it’s not doctored

[Meangreen94z]

The flush is progressing nicely. I’m hopibg it keeps someof the blue it’s showing in the stem.

[Meangreen94z]

Latest

[Meangreen94z]

I went digging around last Sunday at a huge nursery by my house. Buried(apparently for years) in between a mass of palms was this extremely bluish green Dioon Edule. The label had pretty much disentegrated away, but you could make out “Mexican Sago Palm” $39.99. I’m sure that was the intended price years ago, not now with a 4-5” caudex and multiple offsets. I took it to the front and acted disinterested, pointed to what was left of the label. The cashier punched it in manually and off I went. I already have 2, so once this gets separated/repotted I’ll list a few.

[Stan]

A beauty. You can NEVER have too many blue cycads has been my motto. Not possible..

[Meangreen94z]

I agree, this rent house and limited yard are already getting to me. I want to see these in the ground.
Here is a flush from Dioon Edule “Rio Verde”, the one behind it is starting as well. The flush starts brown on Rio Verde but has shifted to bluish green.

[Meangreen94z]

I’m thinking the large one may in fact be Dioon Angustfolium, which used to fall under a form of Dioon Edule. It has the twisted blue fronds that I’ve seen on larger Angustfolium that receive enough sunlight. I will have to wait to see what color it flushes to verify.

[NTCHPALMS]

From the looks of the pictures I dont believe you have any querterro blues there. They will flush close to neon blue/purple.

[Meangreen94z]

Thanks. You should post up some of the cycads currently in your collection, this section could use some life.

[Meangreen94z]

Two of them are flushing

[Meangreen94z]

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[Stan]

You might try acid fertilizers..or high iron(always chelated or better yet, iron gluconate) as for making Hydrangeas' blue. Even plain Dioons go darker with a hint of blue..sometimes on azalea and hydrangea/blueberry ferts.

[Meangreen94z]

Along with a traditional fertilizer I give them magnesium sulfate, which is the trick some growers use to get theirs extremely blue. Hopefully after this flush starts to harden we get a long period of sun.

[Meangreen94z]

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