Sago Palm
Cycas revoluta
An ancient, palm-like cycad with a stout trunk and a symmetrical crown of stiff, feathery dark-green fronds. Despite the name it is not a true palm.
- Light
- Bright light, including some direct sun
- Water
- When top inch dries; avoid soggy soil
- Difficulty
- Moderate
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Overview
Sago Palm is not a palm at all but a cycad, a member of an ancient group of plants that predates the dinosaurs. It forms a rosette of rigid, glossy, feather-like fronds atop a thick, shaggy trunk, growing very slowly over many years.
It is popular as a houseplant, bonsai subject, and landscape plant in warm climates for its striking architectural symmetry and slow, sculptural growth.
How to identify it
Identify it by:
- Fronds: Stiff, arching, feather-shaped (pinnate) leaves with narrow, glossy dark-green leaflets and a sharp tip
- Trunk: Stout, rough, shaggy, and palm-like, growing very slowly
- Habit: Symmetrical rosette crown; typically 2-5 feet tall as a container plant, larger in the ground
- New growth: Emerges as a flush of soft, coiled fronds that harden over time
- Reproduction: Dioecious cones (separate male and female plants); not true flowers
Care & growing
- Light: Bright light, including some direct sun; tolerates bright indirect indoors
- Water: Water when the top inch dries; let it dry more in winter and never leave it soggy (prone to rot)
- Soil: Well-draining, sandy mix
- Temperature: 65-75F (18-24C); hardy to about USDA zone 9
- Feeding: Light feeding in the growing season
- Propagation: From seed or by removing basal offsets ('pups'); growth is very slow
- Caution: Wear gloves; the foliage is stiff and sharp-tipped
Habitat & origin
Native to southern Japan, including the Ryukyu Islands and Kyushu, where it grows on rocky slopes and coastal hillsides in warm, subtropical conditions.
It is cultivated worldwide as an ornamental houseplant, bonsai specimen, and landscape plant in warm-temperate and subtropical regions.
Frequently asked questions
Is it really a palm?
No. Despite its name and palm-like look, it is a cycad, an ancient cone-bearing plant unrelated to true palms.
Why is my sago palm growing so slowly?
Slow growth is normal. Sago palms put out only one flush of new fronds per year, sometimes skipping years entirely.
Why are the fronds turning yellow?
Yellowing can come from overwatering, poor drainage, or nutrient deficiencies (often magnesium or manganese). Check drainage and feeding.
Sago Palm guides
In-depth guides for identifying, growing, and caring for Sago Palm.
