Zamia integrifolia

The coontie brings prehistoric to the present! This plant is the only cycad (a seed producing plant with a short woody trunk and evergreen leaves) native to the United States. It has been present in Florida for thousands, and potentially millions, of years.

Coontie is the sole host plant for Atala butterflies, a species thought to be extinct from 1937 to 1959. When a small population was discovered in south Florida, there was a push for reestablishing populations of the plant to help save the Atala. The coontie has seen increased awareness in the past few decades and is a popular native landscape plant due to its ability to tolerate sun and shade. Once established, it is drought resistant due to its thick underground stem.

Historically, the plant was important for indigenous tribes. The stems were once processed by native peoples as a starch source. Collecting them today is not encouraged due to their extreme toxicity and still relatively low population. If you are interested in adding this low maintenance host plant to your home lawn, coontie can be found at native plant nurseries throughout Florida.