Seminole bread
Zamia pumila

Family: Zamiaceae

What it is like

A small plant. It grows 1.5 m high and spreads 1.8 m wide. It is tough and woody. It has underground stems. This trunk can be 3-25 cm high. These are short and branched. From these leaves emerge. There are 4-12 dark green leaves. They have smooth leaf stalks. The leaves are 60-120 cm long with 5-30 pairs of leaflets. Each leaflet is 8-25 cm long and 0.5-2 cm wide. The leaves have teeth at the tips. Plants are separately male and female. The fruit are red to brown cones. The male cones are cylinder shaped and 3-15 cm long. The female cones are long and fattened and 6-15 cm long by 4-6 cm wide. They are pointed at the tip. Plants are pollinated by weevils.

There are about 55 Zamia species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in well-drained sands. It is best in light shade. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Caribbean, Central America, Cuba, Dominican Republic, India, North America, SE Asia, Singapore, USA, West Indies

How it is used for food

The stems are rich in starch which can be extracted as arrowroot. The plants are poisonous but this is removed by careful leaching.

Edible parts

Seeds, stem starch, caution

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Comfort root, Coontie, Florida arrowroot, Guayiga, Yabuna, Yuquilla de sabana

Synonyms

Encephalartos pumilus (L.) Sweet; Palmifolium debile (Aiton) Kuntze; Zamia integrifolia L.f. ex Aiton [Illegitimate]; and others