Sago palms are a striking tropical with a rosette of fronded leaves. In the garden or as a houseplant, they make a long-lasting feature. Garden expert Katherine Rowe explores how to incorporate the handsome and historic specimen into your collection.
Sago palms feature a whorl of evergreen leaves that form a rosette of dark green fronds. A staple of southern and coastal gardens, the tropicals thrive in warm climates with only short spells of below-freezing temperatures. They’re also easy-care houseplants, making them versatile across growing zones for overwintering indoors.
Sagos belong to the ancient family Cycadaceae, with pre-historic origins some 200 million years ago, before dinosaurs walked the earth. Sagos aren’t true palms but cycads, more closely related to conifers than palms. But, their feathery fronds are palm-like nonetheless and make a stately accent in the border, along foundations, and as container features.
The ancient genus holds about 100 species, with sagos as the most common. Cycas revoluta are long-lived and very slow-growing, reaching their maximum height in 50 years or more. Young plants take several years to reach two to three feet tall and wide. Some of the oldest species are over 200 years old. Originating in Japan’s subtropical southern islands, they lend a tropical flair and contrasting texture among other broadleaf plantings.
The cycads are Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit recipients for their multi-season appeal, minimal maintenance requirements, and pest and disease resistance. Their fine texture adds interest and contrast among mixed plantings in a foundation or shrub border.
Pair them with other tropicals like fatsia, farfugium, philodendron, cast iron plant, and dwarf palmettos for a diverse arrangement in partially shaded areas. They’re handsome among tailored compositions like boxwoods and with dwarf cypress, gardenias, and azaleas. Sagos also stand alone in containers flanking a front porch, kept small in indoor pots, or for bonsai.
The dominant features of the cycad are its long, symmetrical, whorled leaves that emerge from a central crown and a shaggy trunk. The stems reach 20 to 60 inches long and hold slender leaflets that create a fronded look.
Dark green, stiff, and highly polished, three to six-inch long leaflets line the arching stems with perfect spacing. The needled leaflets are attractive all year on sturdy and strong stems. Each leaflet has a spiny tip, so make sure they’re out of the way in high-traffic areas to avoid a poke.
Sagos are gymnosperms, meaning they don’t produce flowers but a cone-like structure for reproduction and fruiting. They’re dioecious, requiring both a male and female plant for pollination to produce seeds. Bees and other insects visit each plant and transfer pollen from the male to the female as they go. Wind, too, disperses granules between plants to promote seeding.
Sagos have ancient reproductive characteristics, where the male produces a central golden cone in late spring to early summer. Females have a fuzzy flowerhead that becomes packed with seeds. The bright orange or red seeds mature by fall. Indoors, cone production is less common.
Sagos are toxic to people and pets if ingested, especially the seeds. Use caution in placement indoors or out with pets or children nearby, and use gloves when pruning, dividing offsets, or harvesting seeds.
Cycas revoluta is native to the Japanese island of Kyushu, the Ryukyu archipelago, and southern China. They grow in thickets along hillsides.
The islands are humid, sunny, and subtropical, with rainy seasons and typhoons. They experience warm summers and cool, moist winters.
Fall and spring are the best times for planting. Cool temperatures and seasonal moisture give plants time to establish before winter and summer temperature fluctuations. For the least stress, avoid frozen or waterlogged conditions and extreme heat or drought periods.
When planting, space the trees four to six feet apart to allow room for mature growth. Keep them out of overly windy spaces to protect foliage and stems; under a tree canopy or with a shrub buffer helps.
The slow-growing cycads perform beautifully in a container and seldom need repotting. They prefer to be a little root-bound to produce new shoots. Refresh potting soil or move them to bigger quarters every few years. A well-draining potting mix is essential, and one for palms or cacti works well.