Cycas micronesica

Cycas micronesica is native to Micronesia, the Marianas Islands and the western Caroline Islands. It was described in 1994 by botanist Ken Hill. Its seeds were a traditional food source on Guam until the 1960s. Cycas micronesica is an arborescent species that occurs in closed forest on coral limestone or coral sand, or occasionally on volcanic soils on islands where these occur.

Cycas micronesica grows well in warm and subtropical climates, particularly in coastal areas. It features lovely medium-green leaves, wide leaflets and a graceful growth habit.

Cycas micronesica was once plentiful in its habitat, but it is now critically endangered because of an unintentionally introduced exotic insect pest, the Cycad Scale, Aulocapsis yasumatsui. Cycas micronesica, is particularly susceptible to this scale in habitat, with mortality rates as high as 100% in infested areas, according to Drs. Terry and Marler (2005). Efforts are underway to introduce biological control agents to fight the scale, but these efforts may not be fast enough to stop the infection from spreading to all plants on Guam.

So, growing this cycad in the mainland USA is a great way to preserve a species threatened in its own habitat.