The sago palm is not a palm, it is a cycad which is a different family of plants. It is the most sold and propagated cycad in the world and a commonly kept houseplant.
Facts and Care Sheet
The Sago Palm
Maximum Height: 20 feet and above, but it might take some 50 to 100 years to grow this tall.
Native range: Southern Japan
Maximum Width(spread): 6 to 8 feet
Scientific name: Cycas revoluta
Growth: Very slow
Propagation: By seed, by removal of basal offsets
Hardiness: A hardy plant
Leaves: pointed leaves, smooth and hard.
Sun: Requires direct bright sunlight, will also thrive in partial shade.
Water: It has moderate water requirements, let the soil dry before watering it again and avoid over-watering.
Soil: Well drained and sandy
Poisonous: Yes(seeds, for both humans and pets)
Cold Tolerance: Moderate, Cold hardy to 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
Drought tolerance: High
Fertilizer requirements: It doesn’t require much fertilizer but fertilizing can improve its health.
Fruit: Red colored, half inch long fruit.
Propagation
Sagos can easily be propagated by seed or by removing basal offsets.
First, lets see how can you propagate them from seeds. Do wear gardening gloves before you do this as this plant can harm you with its poison and you wouldn’t want this for sure. Now soak the seeds in warm water for about 48 hours, so that it will be easy for you to pull the fruit off of them. Now pull the fruit off of the seeds and wash the seeds thoroughly to remove all the fruit particles from it. These fruit particles can attract fungi and other insects. Now plant them in moist soil with pete moss. Don’t completely insert them into the soil, just push them slightly so that just about half of the seed goes below the soil. Make sure you keep the soil moist all the time. You can also place the seeds in re-closable zip lock bags with growing media in it. The moisture doesn’t evaporate from these bags, so growing sago palms in them will be easy for new gardeners or people who can’t look after their seeds. Heat also plays a role in germination of the seeds and the time for germination will be affected by the amount of head these seeds receive. Place them in partial sunlight for quicker and better germination.
Now lets have a look at how to propagate the sago palm from basal offsets or suckers which it produces at the base of the main trunk. Sometimes these sucker occur above the ground, on the trunk of the plant. First thing you should know is that do not remove these basal suckers unless they are 10 cm to 15 cm in diameter. The offset should be removed from its base without damaging or scaring the mother plant. Now plant the little pup in well-drained, moist and sandy soil. Keep the little one in partial shade. It will develop the roots in about six or more months. Best time for propagation by offset removal is in winters when the sago palm is not actively growing.
