Cycads are distinguished by crowns of large, pinnately compound leaves and by cones borne at the ends of the branches. Some cycads have tall, unbranched trunks with an armourlike appearance; others have partially buried stems with swollen (tuberous) trunks. The stem has a large pith surrounded by a narrow zone of soft, woody tissue. Male cones produce pollen that is carried by wind to female cones (borne on separate plants), where fertilization occurs.

Slow-growing cycads are used as ornamental conservatory plants, but some survive outdoors in temperate regions (see Cycas). Starch from the stems of some cycads is edible after an alkaloid is removed by thorough cooking. The young leaves and seeds of other species also are edible.

The desirability of cycads as specimen and ornamental plants in gardens and greenhouses has led to the overharvesting of many species from the wild. As a result, some species are nearly extinct in nature, and a number are critically endangered. Most cycads are protected by conservation laws in their native countries. International trade in cycads is controlled by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.