Proper Care of Sago Palms (Cycas Revoluta)

If you are a beginner at growing palms and looking for something that is relatively hands-off, the Sago palm is an excellent candidate.

Proper care of Sago palms isn’t that complicated and can be a great palm-like plant for you to start with.

While not technically a true palm, Sagos are a cycad.

These specimens have been gaining popularity over the years for their versatility, prehistoric palm-like appearance, and compact size.

While it can be ideal for indoors or outdoors in certain climates, there are a couple of downsides that you should be aware of.

Let’s take a closer look at some details and care requirements of the Sago palm and see if it’s a good choice for you.

TL;DR

• Origin and Description: Native to Southern Japan, the Sago Palm (Cycas Revoluta) is a prehistoric-looking cycad, not a true palm. It has shiny, deep green fronds and a short, solitary trunk.
• Size and Growth Rate: Outdoors can grow 10-15 feet tall with a trunk up to 8 inches in diameter. Indoors, it reaches about 2-3 feet in height. The growth rate is very slow, about 1-2 inches per year outdoors, and even slower indoors.
• Cold Tolerance: Can withstand temperatures down to approximately 15°F, suitable for Zone 8 and above.
• Care Requirements:
  • Indoors: Prefers bright, sunny spots; requires well-draining soil and infrequent watering to avoid root rot. Benefits from occasional misting in low-humidity environments.
  • Outdoors: Needs more water when young, becoming drought tolerant as it matures. Prefers part to full sun and well-draining soil.
• Toxicity: Highly toxic, especially to animals. The seeds are particularly poisonous, causing gastrointestinal irritation and liver damage.
• Pros and Cons:
  • Pros: Suitable for various climates, cold hardy, ideal as an indoor plant, easy to care for, and visually appealing.
  • Cons: Highly toxic to pets, requires regular fertilizing, prone to manganese deficiency, and susceptible to pests, especially indoors.

What Is a Sago Palm?

Origin: Southern Japan

Description: The Sago palm is an easy-to-grow and compact prehistoric-looking cycad. It has compact fronds that are shiny and deep green with a short, solitary trunk.

Size: Outdoors the trunk can get up to 8 inches in diameter with an average height of 10-15 feet at maturity, sometimes taller. Petioles are armed and 2-4 inches in length. The crown of the Sago palm is small and will get up to 3 feet in width with frond size varying between 2-4 feet in length. Indoors Sago palms will only get about 2-3 feet in height.

Growth Rate: Very slow at 1-2 inches per year outdoors. Even slower at 1-2 fronds max per year indoors.

Cold Tolerance: Zone 8 and above. Minimum temps down to approximately 15F.

Where Will Sago Palms Grow?

Sago palms are quite versatile as an indoor or outdoor specimen.

Outdoors they can defoliate when exposed to temperatures around 15F or lower. They do have the ability to rebound in the spring once temperatures warm up with new leaves emerging from the crown.

Indoor and outdoor care can differ quite a bit, so here are some key points for each of these environments.

Growing Indoors:

When kept in pots indoors, the Sago palm will only get to about 2 feet in height. Since they are slow growing. This makes them fairly easy to care for in many areas of your home.

They do prefer bright sunny spots but can tolerate some partial light situations as well. This makes them great for placing on tabletops near windows.

The Sago palm doesn’t require much water and can develop root rot if the soil is kept too moist. Use a well-draining sandy soil mix and allow the plant to dry out a bit between watering schedules.

If growing in areas of low humidity, occasionally mist the leaves to keep them from drying out too much. You can also place Sago palms in a room with higher humidity levels to keep the leaves looking optimal.

If you notice newer growth turning yellow, it is advisable to fertilize the plant once a month ideally from early spring to late fall. Use a liquid fertilizer specifically for houseplants for best results. 

When growing indoors, keep an eye out for common houseplant pests. Use applications such as neem oil and insecticidal soap to prevent things like mealybugs and scales from developing.

Growing Outdoors:

When young, Sago palms will need frequent watering when grown outdoors during the warm seasons. However, these plants will become more drought tolerant once mature.  Make sure to keep the Sago palm in well-draining soils. They will suffer if kept in soggy conditions for too long.

Sago palms prefer part to full sun and can get burned if exposed to too much direct sunlight. They will do well in areas of low humidity in shady areas with some frequent watering. Sagos will also thrive in humid subtropical to tropical climates in various lighting conditions.

If living in a borderline colder climate, keeping the Sago palm in a pot can be an ideal choice. This will provide easy transport indoors during cold snaps that they would otherwise not survive.

Who Are Sago Palms For?

With its compact form and ease of care, the Sago palm is perfect if you are wanting an exotic and prehistoric-looking houseplant for smaller spaces.

If you live in milder climates and want to add something to your collection that will give your yard a unique look, they can easily be grown in many areas of your garden. Keeping Sago palms in pots will also give you some flexibility if you want to move them around or protect them during the colder months.

Any Drawbacks to the Sago Palm?

While easy to grow and care for, there are some downsides of growing Sago palms that you should be aware of.

Even though Sagos are a cycad, they can have similar nutrient deficiencies that most palms can be subject to.

If you are regularly fertilizing, but are still getting yellow fronds, there may be a lack of manganese causing a deficiency in the new growth.  This can be prevalent in soils that lack the proper Ph levels and can be solved by giving your Sago an application of Manganese Sulfate.  This is available at most garden centers and nurseries and the amount applied will vary depending on the size of the specimen. 

Toxicity:

Sago palms are HIGHLY TOXIC, especially to animals.  If you have housepets, use extreme caution as to placement and accessibility.

While the whole plant is toxic, the seeds are especially poisonous. This can cause great harm to animals within a very short period.  Even if ingested in a small amount, your pet can start to suffer from gastrointestinal irritation and liver damage.  If left untreated this can be fatal within just a matter of hours.

Some of the first symptoms you may notice are extreme fatigue, vomiting, and diarrhea which should be treated as quickly as possible. 

If you suspect that your pet has ingested Sago palm seeds, seek immediate medical treatment from a local veterinarian. 

More information is available from the Veterinary Centers of America (VCA) website.    

Wrapping Up the Care of Sago Palms

If you are looking for a uniquely prehistoric palm-like plant for your home or yard, then the Sago palm is a versatile choice for many environments. 

Here’s a recap of some key benefits and drawbacks so you can decide if this plant is right for you: