Coontie
ExplorePlants
Coontie
Zamia integrifolia
Coontie is a special plant that looks like a small palm tree. It has shiny green leaves and grows in warm places. This plant is very important for some animals and helps keep nature healthy.
Habitat: Coastal areas
Appearance
The Coontie has stiff, dark green, fern-like leaves that grow in a circular crown from a short, often underground stem. It produces distinct cone-like structures, with the female cones having bright orange-red seeds when mature.
KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassCycadopsidaOrderCycadalesFamilyZamiaceaeGenusZamia
Category
PlantsRarity
Common
Danger
2/5 · Low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Coontie is Florida's only native cycad, a group of plants older than dinosaurs!
Female Coontie cones produce bright orange-red seeds that look like berries, but are poisonous!
Its name comes from a Native American word for 'flour' or 'bread' because of how it was prepared.
Some tiny beetles are the only insects that can pollinate the Coontie plant!
Special abilities
Ability
Living Fossil
Coontie is a living fossil, a plant from an ancient group that has changed little over millions of years, helping scientists learn about prehistoric Earth.
Ability
Toxic Shield
Coontie has toxic compounds in its leaves and roots that protect it from most hungry animals, making it a well-defended plant.
Ability
Drought Master
Coontie can store water in its thick, often underground stem, which helps it survive long dry periods in sandy, sun-baked environments.
Ability
Nitrogen Helper
Coontie has tiny bacteria living in its roots that can pull nitrogen from the air, acting like natural fertilizer for the plant.
Measurements & details
- Height
- 50-100 cm
- Spread
- 50-100 cm
- Bloom Season
- Spring to summer
- Edible
- No
- Toxicity
- High
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Pollination Method
- Insect
Ecological connections
eats
Atala butterfly
Eumaeus atala
Its caterpillars feed exclusively on Coontie leaves.
pollinates
Coontie cycad weevil
Rhopalotria slossoni
This small beetle is a primary pollinator of Coontie cones.
eaten by
Human
Homo sapiens
Historically, Indigenous peoples processed its root for flour.
symbiotic with
Nitrogen-fixing bacterium
Azotobacter chroococcum
It helps Coontie get nutrients from the soil through its roots.
Traits
Broadleaf Tree
Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates.
Evergreen
Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.
Edible
Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
Ancient Lineage
This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years.
Longevous
This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.
Coastal
Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater.
Keystone Species
Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment.
Threatened
Threatened status denotes a species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future without effective conservation interventions.
Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
Collections
Safety
Danger
2/5 · Low
Do not eat any part of the plant without asking an adult first.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is Coontie?
50-100 cm
How wide does Coontie spread?
50-100 cm
When does Coontie bloom?
Spring to summer
Is Coontie edible?
No
Is Coontie toxic?
High
What is Coontie's lifecycle?
Perennial
How is Coontie pollinated?
Insect
Where is Coontie usually found?
Coastal areas
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