Pineapple Palm, Springsure Zamia
Macrozamia moorei
Family: Zamiaceae
What it is like
A large cycad. The trunk can be 8 m tall and 80 cm across. Young leaves are bright green. Mature leaves are 1.5-3 m long by 30-60 cm wide. They form a rounded crown. They are bluish-green. The leaf stalk is 5-10 cm long and swollen and woolly at the base. There are many leaflets. The lower leaflets are reduced to spines. The average leaflet is 20-40 cm long by 5-11 mm wide. They taper to a sharp tip. The cones are different. The male cone is 25-45 cm long by 8-10 cm wide. They are green to brownish and often curved. There can be up to 100 on one plant. The female cone is 40-90 cm long by 12-20 cm wide and barrel shaped. There are 1-8 on each plant. The seed are 4-6 cm long by 2.5-3.5 cm wide. They are oblong and bright red.
There are about 25 Macrozamia species. It is endemic to Australia.
Where it is found
It grows naturally in Central Queensland in Australia. It grows on low hills in dry forest. These places have hot days and cold nights. They can tolerate severe frosts. They grow in places with about 500 mm rainfall. It can grow in a range of locations if the soil drainage is good. It suits hardiness zones 9-11. Adelaide Botanical Gardens. Hobart Botanical Gardens.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia (country/location of origin), Tasmania
How it is used for food
The seeds are pounded, roasted and soaked in running water for long periods then eaten. CAUTION: Unprepared seeds are poisonous.
Edible parts
Seeds kernel, nuts
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seed.
Cone production can take 50 years from seed.