Sharing in ’s Secrets by Terrence Walters, Executive Director

or decades, the most intensive this bucolic region just an hour outside of horticulturist, treated me to a personal research studies and conserva- busy Cape Town. Dr. Vorster has under- tour. Large new tracts of the garden had tion initiatives for have taken extensive taxonomic research on been opened up for collections, new FFtaken place in southern Africa. many native South African cycads and plantings had been installed, and new areas In fact, of the eleven genera of continues to be a vital player in the for educational exhibits and public events cycads worldwide, the two genera endemic country’s extremely active society. had been constructed. The cycad collection to the African continent, and After meeting with various scientists, was as beautiful as I had remembered it. Stangeria, are probably the best known students, and the curator of the university’s The garden must be commended for their from a biological, systematic, and conserva- garden, I presented an hour-long talk use of the collection in the landscape tion perspective. This scientific work has which focused on Montgomery’s develop- design. For my afternoon lecture at the been accomplished by a diversity of ing database and mapping protocols. garden, I had an outstanding turnout of individuals—from those at botanical After a few educational days in palm and cycad horticulturists and institutions and universities in southern Stellenbosch, we headed for Durban by enthusiasts, all with many questions and Africa to the local nursery growers, way of the Garden Route along the wonderful comments about Montgomery landscapers, and enthusiasts. Their southern coast. Durban is a vibrant resort Botanical Center. commitment to this special group of city with beautiful beaches and tropical Our last stop before flying to Zimbabwe stimulated the creation of the highly- weather. The climate and soils of the area was the Lowveld National Botanical regarded Cycad Society are outstanding for growing cycads and Gardens in Nelspruit. Johan Hurter, the Given their accomplishments, I wanted palms, as well as most other tropical plants. Horticulturist at the garden, filled my to revisit these individuals in South Africa Chris Dalzell, who manages Durban entire day with tours of his extremely large (I had visited in 1993 during the Cycad Botanic Garden for the city’s Parks and magnificent garden, the nursery, the Conference) to learn their secrets for Department, takes advantage of these famous seed orchards associated with the success. I also wanted to share with them resources, overseeing a remarkably healthy conservation collections, and various and their institutions the potential that and diverse collection of intensively private collections in Nelspruit. In the early Montgomery’s palm and cycad collections planted cycads and palms. Chris kept us 1980s, Lowveld seriously began collecting have to offer to the African scientific busy for two days touring a number of the endangered species of Encephalartos. It community. So, in May, my wife, Deena, gardens and visiting nurseries associated was soon realized that a display collection and I left for a month-long trip to southern with the Parks Department. We talked at was unsatisfactory for seed production and Africa to exchange secrets with fellow cycad length about future cooperation between research; cones were being stolen and the scientists, garden administrators, and other our institutions and how we could conservation-oriented folks. support each other as we both develop Dr. John Donaldson, Research Scientist ex situ collections. I was excited to at Kirstenbosch and one of the leading see the great success Chris was having cycad scientists in the world, was our host with the vegetative propagation of in Cape Town. Kirstenbosch (one of eight endangered cycads. Before my visit to National Botanical Gardens in South Durban was over, I gave a relaxing Africa) is an outstanding garden set in an evening lecture to scientists from the unusually beautiful setting—at the base of local university, the garden’s horticultur- famous Table Mountain. The Kirstenbosch ists, and a large number of extremely Cycad Collection is extensive, representing enthusiastic individuals from the local the majority of South African species. In branches of the cycad and palm addition to field studies of numerous societies. species in the wild, Dr. Donaldson makes By way of the majestic Drakensburg use of the garden’s collection to promote Mountains, we next drove to the capitol the propagation, conservation, and horti- city of Pretoria, one of my favorite cultural care of these rare cycads. At my South African cities. Pretoria was the lecture to the garden’s scientists and venue for the 1993 International Cycad horticulturists, I focused on similar issues Conference which I attended when I relevant to the scientific development of was a cycad scientist at Fairchild Montgomery’s palm and cycad collections. Tropical Garden. At that time, Hans Afterwards, Deena and I drove north to the Heilgendorff guided me through quaint wine-producing town of Stellenbosch. Pretoria National Botanical Gardens. Dr. Piet Vorster, a botanist at the On this trip also, the Curator of the University of Stellenbosch, was our host in garden, along with his new cycad equipment used in artificial pollinations to see an extensive native population of one distracted from the garden’s aesthetic of my favorite palms, Raphia farnifera. appearance. The staff also realized that Fruits of this species are eaten by vervet more plants of a species were needed to monkeys. Cleaned seeds were scattered all maintain genetically viable populations and over the valley floor, indicating that the that such numbers could not be accommo- monkeys had recently finished a meal. dated within a display area because of space Later, during a short visit to northwestern limitations and lack of public appeal. Thus, Zimbabwe, I saw extensive stands of the a completely new approach to the manage- palm Phoenix reclinata as well as popula- ment of endangered plant species was tions of Hyphanea petersiana along the adopted by Lowveld. They established seed Zambezi River. orchards of approximately 50 to 100 Ian assisted in scheduling my lecture for individuals per species in a section of the the Palm & Cycad Branch of the Aloe, garden that became closed to the public. Cactus, & Succulent Society of Zimbabwe. Only seeds of known provenance, or Held in Harare, the lecture was attended produced from plants of known prov- by over 50 people from the society, the enance, were used. Lowveld and Johan community, and the National Botanical must be commended for their commitment Garden. The large comfortable auditorium to cycad education, conservation, and was a wonderful place to talk about propagation. Their support of both a Montgomery’s past, our Master Site Plan, public display area and a protected and our plans for the future. Beginning at research/conservation area is rather unique 6:00 p.m., I lectured for 45 minutes. We in the world for a botanical garden. then paused for about an hour to eat and Ian Turner’s private botanical garden, socialize, and of course to have tea. This Springs Farm, contains one of the largest intermission gave me the opportunity to cycad collections in the world. He cares for interact with various officers and members literally thousands of plants! Set on the of the succulent society. The enthusiasm outskirts of the Zimbabwe’s capitol city of and love of cycads and palms by the Harare, Springs Farm has also developed members showed me why this society is so internationally recognized collections of healthy and productive. At 7:45 p.m., I orchids, bromeliads, succulents, tree , continued with my lecture, which was then and palms. The climatic conditions, soil, followed by many questions concerning and topography of Springs Farm, along Montgomery. Michael Kimberly, Honorary with Ian’s love of all plants, are conducive President of the society, presented me with to growing almost every cycad species in a beautiful statue and a book on Zimbabwe the world. succulents to complete what had been a most delightful evening. My early mornings with Ian were spent Harare critically reviewing small portions of Ian’s The world’s cycad community, including Mutare collection, and then we would be off to enthusiasts, students, educators, and visit some of the botanically and geologi- scientists, is fortunate to have so many ZIMBABWE cally diverse areas of eastern Zimbabwe. I supporters in southern Africa. These met with key personnel at two gardens individuals, who truly love cycads, are BOTSWANA during our travels. Vumba Botanical undertaking whatever they can to promote, Garden, south of Mutare, has an extensive, protect, conserve, and propagate their but still relatively young cycad collection native species. Fortunately, they were Nelspruit Pretoria thanks to Ian’s plant donations. The willing to share with me some of their SWAZILAND National Botanical Garden in Harare has a secrets for success. Hopefully, this rich diversity of palms. I met with indi- information will allow me to viduals at this garden to set up future seed make Montgomery Botanical SOUTH AFRICA exchange between our institutions. During Center an even greater asset LESOTHO our time in the field, I had the opportunity towards their endeavors. Durban

Stellenbosch CapeTown