Culture
Winter hardy to USDA Zones 9-11 (possible Zone 8 with protection) where it is best grown in moist, humusy, gritty, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Plants tolerate nutrient-poor soils, but perform best with fertilization. Established plants have drought tolerance. Where not winter hardy, plants are best grown in greenhouses. Propagate by offsets or seed.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Dioon edule, commonly called chestnut dioon or virgin's palm, is a slow-growing, palm-like, evergreen cycad that is native to deciduous oak forests and dry rocky slopes in eastern Mexico. It typically grows to as much as 6-8' tall with a short stocky trunk (to 6-12" diameter) from which large pinnate leaves radiate outward to 3-6' long. Each leaf has up to 120-160 sharp-tipped, lance-shaped, linear leaflets (each leaflet to 5" long). Leaf color is gray-green to blue-green. Youngest leaflets have teeth at the tips, but mature leaflets lack teeth. Plants are dioecious gymnosperms which produce cylindrical male cones and oval female cones. Female cones (to 12" ) are infrequently produced in cultivation. Seeds are edible if cooked.
Genus name comes from the Greek words dis meaning twice and oon meaning an egg with reference to the paired seeds.
Specific epityhet from Latin means edible.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Cycad aulacaspis scale. Caterpillars may chew on the foliage.
Uses
Landscape or garden accent in tropical and sub-tropical areas. Large tubs or containers.