Cycas revoluta

Sago Palm

Accent

Despite its common name, this plant is not a palm but a cycad, a primitive, cone-bearing plant related to conifers. There are male and female plants. It is a small-scale, evergreen plant with shiny dark green feathery fronds. Young plants resemble ferns. Old plants may form a clump with two or more heads. Taller plant with frond stumps looks like miniature palm. It grows very slowly to ten feet.

Temperature

Hardy to 15F, but survives to 5F.

Water requirements

Moderate to ample. Old plants can take periods of occasional.

Sun

Full, open or filtered sun or part shade.

Soil

Improved with good drainage. Not tolerant of very alkaline soils.

Maintenance

Little. Removal of offsets if desired, removal of spent fronds.

Disadvantages

Turns yellow if sunburned. Expensive; takes one or two years to take hold.

Fruit or Seeds

Seed cone produced in middle of fronds (the one pictured has been removed) on female plants.

Uses

Specimen plant. Container plant. Gives a ferny, palmy look.

Origin

Native of Japan. Member of the Cycadaceae family.

Themes

Oriental, Tropical, Subtropical, Pool Area

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