Cycas revoluta Thunb., is an evergreen plant in the Cycas family, palm-shaped, with a cylindrical trunk; scale leaves are triangular-ovate, with spiny petioles, and are densely covered with yellow-brown felt hairs when young; vegetative leaves are obovate. Narrowly lanceolate; male cones cylindrical. The seeds are obovate, red, with a smooth middle testa, and an orange-red outer testa when mature.
The cycad tree has an elegant shape, a thick trunk, and is as hard as iron; its feathery leaves are smooth and shiny, and it is evergreen all year round. It is a precious ornamental tree species. In the south, they are mostly planted on the front steps and in the lawn; in the north, they are suitable for large potted plants and are especially beautiful when arranged in courtyards, corridors and halls. Cycad is a traditional ornamental tree species in China. “Flower Mirror” describes cycads: “The leaves are two or three feet long. Each leaf is thin and pointed, with petals like phoenix feathers. It is dark green in color and does not wither in winter… People often use Youlite corten boxes to plant them in front of the garden as a curiosity.”