Sago Palm Cycas revoluta
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Cycas inermis
- Cycas miquelii
- Cycas taitungensis
- Epicycas miquelii
- Phonetic Spelling
- SY-kass reh-vol-OO-tah
- This plant has high severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Sago palm is a tropical and sub-tropical showy evergreen member of an ancient plant family known as cycads (Cycadaceae), dating back 200 million years ago. The plant is native to the Japanese Island of Kyusha, the Ryukyu Islands, ad southern China. They are found in thickets along hillsides. The genus name, Cycas, is derived from the Greek word, "kykas," thought to be a transcription error for the word "koikas," meaning Palm tree." The species name, revoluta, means "rolled back or curled back" and refers to the plant's leaves.
The Sago Palm is very slow-growing and may take up to 50 or more years to reach 10 feet tall. It is frequently cultivated as a houseplant. The leaves grow from the trunk. They are shiny, palm-like, and have spiny tips and the margins of the leaves roll downward. While it has a distinct palm-like appearance, it is not a true palm. They do not flower, but produce cones with exposed seeds (gymnosperm), much like pines and fir trees.
Sago palm requires very little maintenance and prefers bright, but indirect sun. Harsh sunlight can damage the foliage. If the plant is grown indoors, filtered sunlight for 4-6 hours per day is recommended. The soil should be moist and well-drained. They are intolerant to overwatering or poor drainage. They are drought tolerant when established. Sandy, loamy soils with a pH acid to neutral are recommended. They can tolerate brief periods of cold, but frost will damage the foliage. The Sago Plant will not survive if the temperature drops below 15 degrees Fahrenheit.
Suckers are produced at the base of the evergreen. The plant may be propagated by seeds or suckers. Pruning may be done to remove dead fronds.
It will take years for the trunk of sago palm to grow from a 1-inch diameter to a 12-inch diameter. This evergreen can range in size from 3-10 feet and 3-10 feet wide. Indoor plants are smaller. Because of their slow growth, they are popular as bonsai plants. The leaves are deep green, stiff, arranged in a rosette, and are supported by a short stalk. The leaves may be 20-60 inches long. Each leaf is divided into many 3 to 6 inch needle-like leaflets. There must be a male and female plant to produce seeds. The seeds are pollinated by insects or the wind. The male produces an erect golden pineapple-shaped cone. The female plant has a golden feathered flower head and forms a thickly packed seed head. The seeds are orange to red in color. Pollination occurs from April to June. The seeds mature from September to October.
Sago palm is an easy houseplant to maintain. They are elegant grown in containers or urns for use on patios, sunrooms, or entrances to homes. They are beautiful evergreens for use in subtropical or tropical home landscapes as borders, accents, specimens, or in rock gardens.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Problems: Scale insects, mealybugs, and spider mites can occur. Cycad aulacaspis scale can cause serious damage. Root rot can occur if the plant is overwatered or poorly drained.
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Coastal Entryway Garden - Small Space Coastal Garden - Tropical
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cycas
- Species:
- revoluta
- Family:
- Cycadaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Japan (Kyushu) to Nansei-Shoto
- Distribution:
- Native: Japan and Nansei-Shoto; Introduced: Alabama and Bangladesh
- Wildlife Value:
- Pollinated by insects.
- Play Value:
- Easy to Grow
- Edibility:
- The pith contains edible starch that can be processed for making sago. The starch has to be carefully washed to remove the toxins that are in the pith.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Houseplant
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
- Appendage:
- Spines
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Gold/Yellow
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- There must be a male and female plant to produce seeds. Pollination occurs by insects or the wind. The male plant produces a pineapple-shaped cone that may grow up to 2 feet tall. The female plant produces a large golden rounded cone. If pollination is successful, the female will produce a packed seedhead. Pollination occurs from April to June. The seeds mature from September to October.
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Flowers:
- Flower Description:
- Non-flowering. The plant is dioecious (requiring male and female plants to produce seeds). The male plant produces elliptical-shaped yellowish pollen cones, and the female produces round cones that produce seeds when pollinated. This plant rarely produces cones when grown as a houseplant indoors.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leathery
- Prickly
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Fronds
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Linear
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are pinnate or feather-like and glossy green. The leaves may be 3 to 7 feet long and 10 inches wide, depending on the age of the plant. The fronds grow in a circular pattern that creates a rosette pattern. Each leaf has a midrib and divides into many 3 to 6-inch leaflets that are narrow, leathery, and have spiny tipped ends. The leaflets have entire revolute or curled back edges and lower leaflets are often spinelike.
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Bark:
- Surface/Attachment:
- Shaggy
- Bark Description:
- The trunk of the plant is thick and shaggy in appearance and resembles a palm tree. It is rough, symmetrical, and leafless except at the crown.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- The stems are dark brown in color.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Container
- Houseplants
- Patio
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Salt
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Children
- Problem for Dogs
- Spines/Thorns
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- High
- Poison Symptoms:
- Ingestion of any part of this plant may cause permanent internal damage or death. Symptoms of poisoning may include vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, seizures, and liver failure. Pets are attracted to this plant. Pet symptoms of poisoning include nosebleeds, bruising, and blood in stools.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- All parts of this plant contain the toxin cycasin, but the seeds have the highest concentration.
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Bark
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Roots
- Sap/Juice
- Seeds
