Naturally occurring Eastern Cape Blue Cycads can only be found around Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage districts of Eastern Cape, South Africa, which has a warm climate year round, average annual rainfall in the range of 250mm (10 inches) to 600mm (25 inches) and summer temperatures up to 40 °C (104 °F).
In Florida, the larva (caterpillar) feeds on a native cycad, Zamia pumila, called Coontie, as well as introduced ornamental cycads.
Tropical house - Collections include Ananas comosus, Annona muricata, bromeliads, Caryota mitis, Cocos nucifera, Coffea arabica, cycads (including a Dioon spinulosum given by Smith College in the 1920s), Heliconia vellerigera, Kigelia pinnata, Musa, orchids, Oryza sativa, Piper nigrum, Rhizophora mangle, and Theobroma cacao.
The mountain consists of soaring and lofty trees of Mesua ferrea, Bischofia javanica, Vitex Altissima to smaller trees of Dillini a species of festooning climber, shrubs, valuable herbs, variety of orchids, two types of canes and many indigenous palms and cycads.
In 2010 Nguiu was renamed Wurrumiyanga, meaning the place where the cycads grow, by the Tiwi Land Council.