Sago Palm
Cycas Revoluta Palms
A Sago Palm is not really a palm but a member of the Cycad family and a relative of conifers and ginko trees. Cycads, often called “living fossils,” are one of the oldest most primitive plant families and have not changed very much in the last 200 million years. A Sago Palm has a very rugged trunk 1”-12” in width depending upon the age of the plant. The trunk is topped with stiff narrow arching fronds that grow in a circular pattern. Indoors this plant can reach a height of 6ft. (1.8 m). The Sago Palm, native to the Far East, is a very elegant slow growing plant.
These plants are considered poisonous and should be kept away from pets and children. Read more about common houseplants that are poisonous in Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants
Light
A Sago Palm needs bright lightVery few houseplants should be placed in direct sun. High light refers only to bright indirect light since direct sun often burns the leaves of indoor houseplants. An area that is too hot and dry encourages Spider Mites and causes blooms to quickly fade. A northern exposure really doesn't provide enough light for high light plants. These plants need to be placed directly in front of an east-facing window, within 1-3 feet of a west-facing window, and within 5 ft. of a south facing window. A high light area has over 300 ft. candles of light. with a little direct sun in the morning. Give a Sago Palm ¼ of a turn each week to keep it from growing toward the light. In bright lightVery few houseplants should be placed in direct sun. High light refers only to bright indirect light since direct sun often burns the leaves of indoor houseplants. An area that is too hot and dry encourages Spider Mites and causes blooms to quickly fade. A northern exposure really doesn't provide enough light for high light plants. These plants need to be placed directly in front of an east-facing window, within 1-3 feet of a west-facing window, and within 5 ft. of a south facing window. A high light area has over 300 ft. candles of light. a Sago Palm produces short thick fronds, in lower light the fronds are long and thin.
Water
Allow the top 75% of the soil to dry out before thoroughly watering a Sago Palm. Water sparingly in the winter when there is less light and cooler temperatures. Be careful never to get water in the crown of a Sago Palm plant, this can cause crown rotPicture, description, and how to treat Crown Rot Plant Disease. disease and the eventual death of the plant. Sago Palms should never be allowed to totally dry out.
Fertilizer
Feed a Sago Palm Plant monthly from the spring through fall with a liquid fertilizerPlants need fertilizer only when they are actively growing. Slow growing plants in low light require very little plant food. Too much fertilizer is worse than not enough. Most plants prefer a water soluble plant food at 1/2 the recommended strength. Plants that are in bloom or dormant should not be fertilized. Houseplant food contains nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). A fertilizer containing these elements in equal proportion is considered a balanced plant food. Nitrogen helps in photosynthesis and encourages the growth of leaves and stems. Potassium and phosphorus also help in photosynthesis and aid in root and flower development. Most fertilizers have trace elements of other minerals that are lacking in the soil but are necessary for good plant growth. Fertilizers have a high salt content. If a plant is not producing new leaves and doesn’t absorb the fertilizer, salts build up in the soil. These salts can burn the roots, discolor the leaves, and cause new growth to be small.
(18-6-18) at ½ the recommended strength. To avoid leaf tip burn, never feed a Sago Palm if the soil is very dry. The fronds of a Sago Palm shrivel and dry up if it has been over-fertilized.
Temperature
Sago Palms prefer temperatures between 60-75° F (16-24° C). They can handle temperatures in the low 40'F (5.6°C) and even survive for a short time in temperatures as low as 15°F (-9.4°C).
Humidity
Sago Palms prefer high humidity so you may need to place a humidifier near the palm if the air in your home is very dry. Sago Palms can survive in basic household humidity but will not grow as well.
Pests
scaleSoft Brown Scale is the most common scale that attacks indoor houseplants especially ficus, ivy, spider plants, ferns, aralia, and schefflera. It appears as small bumpy brown spots that appear to move. As the scale sucks on the sap of the plant it secretes a sticky substance called honeydew. The honeydew attracts black mildew. Because of the shell-like exterior, sprays are only partially effective against scale. Wipe off the lines of brown oval bumps with your finger, a cloth, or a child’s toothbrush then spray the plant with Neem Oil. Use the Green Solution to clean off the black mildew. is the main house Plant PestLearn how to identify and treat the plant pest called Whitefly at https://www.houseplant411.com/glossary/whitefly-plant-pests that attacks a Sago Palm.
Diseases
crown rotPicture, description, and how to treat Crown Rot Plant Disease. plant disease occurs when water gets on the crown of a Sago Palm Plant. There is no treatment for crown rotPicture, description, and how to treat Crown Rot Plant Disease. and the Sago Palm often dies.
Soil
Use a cactus soil mix or a combination of 2 parts peat-moss based potting mix and 1 part sharp sand or perlite for a Sago Palm.
Pot Size
The roots of a Sago Palm do not like to be disturbed so re-pot only when necessary. You can control the height of a Sago Palm Plant by keeping it in a small pot.
Pruning
Remove dead or damaged fronds from a Sago Palm as soon as they appear.
Propagation
Mature Sago Palms produce offsetsHouseplant offsets, or pups as they are sometimes called, are the baby plants that form at the base of certain houseplants.Plant offsets can be used to easily propagate new plants. Wait until the plant offsets have grown at least several inches, then gently detach them from the "mother"plant. Hopefully the plant offsets will have a few roots of their own at this point. Plant the offsets in a small container and keep the plant barely moist but never soggy at all times., called pups, which are used for propagationLearn how to propagate plants by plant division at https://www.houseplant411.com/glossary. When you remove a pup from around the base of a Sago Palm to propagate a new plant, be sure to take all of the leaves and roots.
Poisonous Plant Info
A Sago Palm is a very poisonousPlants are a great addition to homes and offices, but it’s important to know whether your plants are dangerous to children, pets, or even adults. Some plants contain chemicals such as oxalates, solanine, glycosides, or alkaloid lycorine that may cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, swelling and redness of the mouth, throat, and lips, and trouble breathing. Touching parts of certain plants, especially the sap, may cause various skin irritations. The weight and age of the human or pet involved, and the part and amount of plant eaten determine how severe the reaction to the toxins will be. Although plants may be listed as non-toxic, they can still cause individual allergic reactions. If there is any question after a houseplant has been ingested or touched immediately call the Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222 The Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants [Paperback]is an excellent reference to keep around if you have young children and pets. houseplant with a #4 levelThese are general guidelines that describe how poisonous certain houseplants are. It's possible for an allergic reaction to occur from contact with any houseplant, toxic or non-toxic. If there is ever a concern, call: Poison Control Center: ******1-800-222-1222******
Level #1: Houseplants with low toxicity, may be mildly irritating, especially the sap of the plant.
Level#2: Houseplants with medium to severe toxicity. Eating parts of these houseplants may result in vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties.
Level #3: These houseplants are very poisonous. When eaten, especially in large quantities, severe vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties can occur.
Level #4: These houseplants are extremely poisonous. Eating parts of these houseplants can be be life threatening.
Every plant listed in our Popular HousePlant guide has a section explaining whether or not it is poisonous and, if so, how poisonous. Amaryllis, alocasia, dieffenbachias, crotons, ivies, azaleas, lilies, and philodendrons are just a few of the highly poisonous plants we use in our homes and offices all of the time. If you don't know whether your houseplant is poisonous, go to Ask Judy on the HousePlant411.com website, send her a picture of your plant, and she'll let you know if the houseplant should be kept away from small children and pets.
See colorful pictures and get more information about poisonous houseplants in
Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants
toxicity. All parts are poisonousPlants are a great addition to homes and offices, but it’s important to know whether your plants are dangerous to children, pets, or even adults. Some plants contain chemicals such as oxalates, solanine, glycosides, or alkaloid lycorine that may cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, swelling and redness of the mouth, throat, and lips, and trouble breathing. Touching parts of certain plants, especially the sap, may cause various skin irritations. The weight and age of the human or pet involved, and the part and amount of plant eaten determine how severe the reaction to the toxins will be. Although plants may be listed as non-toxic, they can still cause individual allergic reactions. If there is any question after a houseplant has been ingested or touched immediately call the Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222 The Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants [Paperback]is an excellent reference to keep around if you have young children and pets., especially the seeds. Keep a Sago Palm out of the reach of children, dogs, and especially cats who love to play with the fronds of the plant.
My Sago Palm finally (after many years) produced pups. Now what should I do?
First remove the pup with all of its leaves & roots. Set it aside for a week so any cut areas can dry out. Gently plant the pup in a small pot of loose quick draining soil or cactus mix; 1/2 the trunk should be below the soil levelThese are general guidelines that describe how poisonous certain houseplants are. It's possible for an allergic reaction to occur from contact with any houseplant, toxic or non-toxic. If there is ever a concern, call: Poison Control Center: ******1-800-222-1222******
Level #1: Houseplants with low toxicity, may be mildly irritating, especially the sap of the plant.
Level#2: Houseplants with medium to severe toxicity. Eating parts of these houseplants may result in vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties.
Level #3: These houseplants are very poisonous. When eaten, especially in large quantities, severe vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties can occur.
Level #4: These houseplants are extremely poisonous. Eating parts of these houseplants can be be life threatening.
Every plant listed in our Popular HousePlant guide has a section explaining whether or not it is poisonous and, if so, how poisonous. Amaryllis, alocasia, dieffenbachias, crotons, ivies, azaleas, lilies, and philodendrons are just a few of the highly poisonous plants we use in our homes and offices all of the time. If you don't know whether your houseplant is poisonous, go to Ask Judy on the HousePlant411.com website, send her a picture of your plant, and she'll let you know if the houseplant should be kept away from small children and pets.
See colorful pictures and get more information about poisonous houseplants in
Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants
. Water well. Almost all of the soil should be dry before you water again. Place the new plant in a bright area in your home or a shady area outside. Be patient, it may be several months before any new leaves appear.
My Sago Palm just sits there and doesn't seem to get new leaves. Should I feed it more?
Sago Palms are very slow growing plants . They do not constantly add new fronds. Sagos do eventually produce what is called a "flush" of new leaves. This is called a "break". These new leaves are very fragile and easily damaged during the first few weeks. Feeding it more will only burn the existing leaves.
The leaves on my Sago Palm are turning yellow. What am I doing wrong?
Yellow leaves on a Sago Palm are usually due to a watering problem or too much fertilizerPlants need fertilizer only when they are actively growing. Slow growing plants in low light require very little plant food. Too much fertilizer is worse than not enough. Most plants prefer a water soluble plant food at 1/2 the recommended strength. Plants that are in bloom or dormant should not be fertilized. Houseplant food contains nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). A fertilizer containing these elements in equal proportion is considered a balanced plant food. Nitrogen helps in photosynthesis and encourages the growth of leaves and stems. Potassium and phosphorus also help in photosynthesis and aid in root and flower development. Most fertilizers have trace elements of other minerals that are lacking in the soil but are necessary for good plant growth. Fertilizers have a high salt content. If a plant is not producing new leaves and doesn’t absorb the fertilizer, salts build up in the soil. These salts can burn the roots, discolor the leaves, and cause new growth to be small.
. Old fronds turn yellow from too much water or too much plant food. New fronds start to turn yellow when the soil is lacking in certain nutrients or from too much plant food.
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