How to prune hope's cycad

Any time of year when fronds fully die back. Use loppers or a pruning saw for the large, woody frond stalks on mature specimens. Cut flush with the trunk. Wear gloves and eye protection — the fronds on large specimens are substantial.

Rarely — only to remove dead or storm-damaged fronds. Hope's Cycad (Lepidozamia hopei), the world's tallest cycad, needs almost no pruning. Remove only completely dead fronds by cutting cleanly at the base of the stalk. Its massive trunk stores years of energy, and living fronds — even aging lower ones — should remain. In a garden setting, clear dead fronds that create debris or fire-load risk.

Use loppers or a pruning saw for the large, woody frond stalks on mature specimens. Cut flush with the trunk. Wear gloves and eye protection — the fronds on large specimens are substantial.