Coontie

{"key":"coontie","name":"Coontie","botanical":"Zamia integrifolia","slug":"coontie","id":"PLT-ZAMI-INTE","type":"palms","h":[2,3],"w":[3,5],"install":[1,1.5],"palmForm":"cycad-low","trunkRatio":0.08,"native":true,"light":"Sun to part shade; sheltered shade is also possible","lightTags":["sun","part","shade"],"water":"Well-drained soil; water to establish, then adjust to rainfall","season":"Evergreen fronds · cones on mature plants","care":"Light cleanup and space for an expanding clump","benefit":"Bring a low, sculptural layer into the garden.","intro":"Coontie gives a residential planting the orderly texture of a cycad close to the ground. Its arching fronds can repeat through a bed or form one quiet accent below taller planting. It is a useful Florida-native option where the design needs evergreen shape without a tree canopy.","caution":"Seeds, foliage and roots are toxic if eaten. Choose another plant where children or pets may chew plants or collect seeds. Coontie is a cycad, not a true palm; a native label does not make it safe to ingest.","sizeNote":"The 2–3 ft height and 3–5 ft spread describe a typical established clump. Measure the full arch of the fronds when setting the bed edge. The installed example is simply a smaller plant, not a promised container size or growth schedule.","site":"Use coontie in a Pensacola garden bed with drainage and breathing room around each clump. It can sit below windows or connect larger plants across a border. Keep maintenance access in the layout, and assess household use before repeating it near a patio or play space.","uses":["A low evergreen accent","A repeated layer below windows","A sculptural courtyard planting","A native mixed border","A transition beneath taller planting"],"checks":[["Who uses this bed?","Consider pets, children and visiting families before choosing a toxic cycad. Placement matters more than the appearance of a tidy border."],["Will the full spread fit?","Set out the eventual frond footprint and leave walking and maintenance space beyond it. A small nursery clump can occupy much more of the bed later."],["Does water leave the root zone?","Check where roof runoff and irrigation collect. A dry-looking surface can hide wet soil below; match the plant to the whole root area."],["What reaches the foliage?","Shelter is useful near the coast. Some salty wind tolerance should not be treated as tolerance of direct salt spray or saltwater flooding."]],"faq":[["Is Coontie a palm?","No. It is a cone-bearing cycad with a palm-like outline. The named plant in this guide is Zamia integrifolia, also listed under older names such as Zamia pumila or Zamia floridana."],["Will it attract Atala butterflies in Pensacola?","Coontie is an Atala host plant, but that does not promise Atalas on a Pensacola property. Their occurrence is strongly associated with South Florida; choose this plant for its fit in your own garden."],["Is it a good choice around dogs?","It is toxic, including the leaves, roots and seeds. Where chewing or seed access is likely, select a different plant rather than relying on cleanup alone."]],"sources":[["UF/IFAS: Coontie","https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/palms-and-cycads/coontie/"],["Florida Native Plant Society: Coontie","https://www.fnps.org/plant/zamia-integrifolia"]],"unit":"ft","heightLabel":"Total mature height","spreadLabel":"Mature frond spread","color":"#70815a","guideKind":"Native cycad","eyebrow":"EVERGREEN FORM + THOUGHTFUL PLACEMENT","wholeCaption":"Illustrative whole-plant form of Coontie; fronds, stems and overall proportions vary with age and growing conditions.","detailCaption":"Illustrative foliage detail of Coontie. Use the botanical name and nursery label to confirm the plant.","aliases":["Coontie","Zamia integrifolia","Zamia pumila","Zamia floridana","Florida arrowroot"],"goals":["pool"],"palmSizeGroup":"small","images":{"context":{"id":"6aa03e15876c821d804ed501","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa03e15876c821d804ed501_landova-palm-coontie-context.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Coontie","width":1600,"height":900},"whole":{"id":"6aa03d81ef196d01201da259","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa03d81ef196d01201da259_landova-palm-coontie-whole.webp","alt":"Illustrative whole-plant form of Coontie","width":1122,"height":1402,"fit":"contain"},"detail":{"id":"6aa03d82784c76b20773bcdf","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa03d82784c76b20773bcdf_landova-palm-coontie-detail.webp","alt":"Illustrative foliage and seasonal detail of Coontie","width":1254,"height":1254}},"companions":[{"slug":"dwarf-palmetto","name":"Dwarf Palmetto","title":"Compare a low true palm","reason":"Dwarf Palmetto has a bolder fan shape and a different moisture preference. Compare both footprints before choosing the lower layer.","image":{"id":"6aa03d82f08181b5baeebc1d","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa03d82f08181b5baeebc1d_landova-palm-dwarfpalmetto-context.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Dwarf Palmetto","width":1600,"height":900}},{"slug":"dwarf-mondo-grass","name":"Dwarf Mondo Grass","title":"Explore a finer shaded edge","reason":"Dwarf Mondo Grass can provide a finer texture in its own suitable shaded area. Keep its irrigation and spacing needs separate.","image":{"id":"6aa00d183fe0798c1efa78ee","url":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a975baac0f352647862d847/6aa00d183fe0798c1efa78ee_landova-grass-mondo-context.webp","alt":"Illustrative planting concept with Dwarf Mondo Grass","width":1600,"height":900}}]}