Encephalartos umbeluziensis is easily propagated from seeds, but seedlings, at the one-leaf stage, are susceptible to the fungal disease "damping off" which kills the seedling's single leaf at ground level. The seeds should be collected, cleaned and stored in a brown paper bag at 10-15 ºC for six months or more, to allow the embryo to fully develop. The seeds are cleaned to ensure that all the flesh is removed since it may contain germination inhibitors, and can also promote the growth of fungi. The flesh is scraped away with a knife, and protective gloves should be worn during the cleaning operation to prevent contact with the slow-acting poisons present in the flesh. If the flesh is hard and dry, it helps to soak the seeds in water for a day or two before cleaning. Even if the seeds have been cleaned, it is a good idea to soak them for a few days, preferably with daily changes of water, before planting them. When the seeds are placed in water, the viable ones will sink and the non-viable ones will float.

To germinate the seeds, place the cleaned seeds on their sides half buried on washed sand or potting mix, and keep at about 28 ºC. It is necessary to keep the medium moist, but not too wet, for as long as it takes for germination to take place. As soon as the radicals of the sprouted kernels are 10-20 mm long, they can be planted singly in bags containing potting soil or some other suitable medium. Alternatively one can wait until the seedlings develop one or two leaves before transplanting them individually into bags.

Because cycad seedlings form long tap roots, it is advisable to use tall, narrow perforated black plastic bags about 24 x12 cm in size for their initial establishment. Place the seedlings under shade for the first few years of growth and development. Initially the seedlings must be watered daily with a fine spray. After about a month, as their roots elongate, the frequency of watering should be decreased to once a week. The seedlings can be transplanted into the garden when they are 3-5 years old. Cycads are ideal for a low maintenance garden, as they require a minimum of water and are undemanding in their soil and environmental needs.

Pests troublesome to cycads are scale insects, beetles and chewing insects. Scale insects cause great damage to cycad leaves by sucking the sap from them. Most scale insects can be controlled with regular and frequent applications of horticultural soluble oil such as white oil. Beetles seriously damage cycad plants by attacking the emerging young leaves. Control can be kept by application of contact or systemic insecticides, or one of the bacterial preparations available.

Everyone in possession of cycads must have a permit. Please contact your provincial Nature Conservation authority for details.