Hello Gardeners, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow . Cycads have been used for food in many cultures around the world. A cycad native to Florida, Zamia floridana, or coontie , was almost eliminated by the production of cycad flour; mills churned out 15 tons of arrowroot flour a day. Since cycads contain extremely dangerous neuro-toxins that cause horrific symptoms in humans decades after consumption, the plant material must be processed with great care to render it