General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Shrub
Tree
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Partial or Dappled Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Dry Mesic
Dry
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 8b -9.4 °C (15 °F) to -6.7 °C (20 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 11
Plant Height: 4 feet to 10 feet
Plant Spread: Forms a rosette of 4-8 feet in diameter
Leaves: Evergreen
Other: Leaves are semi-glossy green and 3 to 4 feet in length with sharp tips - toxic to humans and animals.
Fruit: Showy
Other: 2 to 3 inch, oval hard brown fruit contains toxins and can be extremely poisonous t humans and animals
Flowers: Showy
Other: Male plant produces a yellow cone-like structure, Female plant produces tan colored modified leaves
Flower Color: Other: Not true flowers:Male plant produces a yellow cone-like structure, Female plant produces tan colored modified leaves.
Flower Time: Spring
Late spring or early summer
Suitable Locations: Street Tree
Patio/Ornamental/Small Tree
Xeriscapic
Uses: Provides winter interest
Erosion control
Shade Tree
Dynamic Accumulator: Nitrogen fixer
Resistances: Tolerates dry shade
Humidity tolerant
Toxicity: Leaves are poisonous
Fruit is poisonous
Propagation: Seeds: Self fertile
Provide darkness
Days to germinate: 3-4 months
Depth to plant seed: 1"-2", laying the seed on its flat side
Suitable for wintersowing
Start indoors
Can handle transplanting
Propagation: Other methods: Offsets
Pollinators: Wind
Various insects
Containers: Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Needs excellent drainage in pots
Preferred depth: Do not cover the growing tip! Allow the uppermost tip of the seedling to show.
Prefers to be under-potted
Conservation status: Least Concern (LC)

Conservation status:
Conservation status: Least Concern
Image
Common names
  • Sago Palm
  • Japanese Sago Palm
  • Sago Cycas
  • King Sago
  • Sotetsu
Also sold as:
  • Cycas revoluta 'King Palm'

Photo Gallery
Location: West Hills, Ca
Date: 2016-03-26
close up of unfurling fronds
Location: Central Texas
Date: 2017-07-12
Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Date: 2012-05-05

Date: 2018-09-04
Location: Garden
Date: 2014-05-18
These were taken from a Double Headed King Sago
Location: Baja California
Date: 2017-08-05
Location: Fountain Valley, Calif
Date: 2005-01-30
two Sago heads are better then one
Location: Baja California
Date: 2019-06-25
Location: Temple, Texas
Date: 2021-04-26
New fronds emerging 70 days after Texas Snowpocalypse 2021.  I wa
Location: In my garden in Oklahoma City
Date: May, 1999
Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta) in OkC 001
Location: Port Orange, Florida
Date: 2018-05-17
Location: Saint Helena Island, SC
Date: 2006-10-11
Female Flower
Location: Opp, AL  Z8b
Date: 2021-05-16
Location: Central Texas
Date: 1980-01-01
Photo by Hamwild
Photo by queen1694
Location: Youngsville, LA
Date: 2018-05-07
By tabbycat
Location: Hamilton Square Garden, Historic City Cemetery, Sacramento CA.
Date: 2017-11-08
The male cones were left on when the lower fronds were removed.
Location: my garden 
Date: 2014-10-12
Location: Houston, Texas, outdoors, full sun
Date: May 29, 2009 10:44 AM
King Sago Palm male \"cone\" blooming
Location: Edinburg, Texas | June, 2023
Date: 2023-06-10
Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Date: 2017-11-11
Location: Houston, Texas, outdoors, full sun
Date: May 17, 2009 3:43 PM
King Sago Palm female \"flower\" beginning
Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Date: 2012-05-05 
In a neighbors yard
Photo by sedumzz
Location: Saint Helena Island, SC
Date: 2006-10-11
Close up of the female flower
Location: US National Arboretum, Washington DC
Date: 2015-02-28
Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta)
Location: Tucson, AZ
Date: 05/05/2016
first year female had multiple "blooms" - in past (2 time) single
Location: In my garden - San Joaquin County, CA
Date: 2014-03-31
My newly repotted cycad!
Location: Menton, France
Date: 2015-11-16

Date: 2012-06-22
Location: Opp, AL  Z8b
Date: 2022-08-28
Location: Sydney Australia
Date: 2019-08-21
Sago Palm Cycas revoluta
Location: Neighbor
Date: 2018-05-10
Location: Neighbor 
Date: 2018-05-10

Date: 2012-07-02
Location: Winter Springs, FL zone 9b
Date: 2017-06-03
Double male blooms, the one is almost two feet tall.
Location: Menton, France
Date: 2015-11-17
Location: Florida
Location: Mountain City, Texas
Date: 2016-07-10
Location: Sea World San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
Date: 2022-04-03
Location: Sea World San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
Date: 2022-04-03
Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Date: 2013-04-24
Location: zone 8 Lake City, Fl.
Date: 2013-04-28
Location: zone 8 Lake City, Fl.
Date: 2013-04-28
Location: zone 8 Lake City, Fl.
Date: 2013-04-28
Location: Temple, Texas
Date: 2019-09-06
Purchased late August 2019; new leaves emerging Sept 6th!  Settin
Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Date: 2016-03-29
Location: San Antonio Botanical Garden, San Antonio, Texas
Date: 2022-04-04
Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Date: 2015-08-05
Location: AZ
Date: Spring
Location: Southwest Florida
Date: February 2012
A group of beautiful Sago Palms in the landscape.
Location: Seville, Spain | April, 2023
Date: 2023-04-06
Lots of pups
Location: Amelia Island , Florida
Date: 2015-12-24
Location: Amelia Island , Florida
Date: 2015-12-24
Location: Garden next to Smithsonian, DC, Virginia | May, 2022
Date: 2022-05-28
Location: In our garden - San Joaquin County, CA
Date: 2014-03-31
Lifted up caudex during repot on 30Mar2014
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2012-03-22
Location: Houston, Texas
Date: 2011-07-22
Location: Houston, Texas
Date: 2011-07-22
Location: Houston, Texas
Date: 2011-07-22
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2010-03-11
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2008-03-07
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2014-12-16
seeds came from Houston
Location: Monte Palace - Funchal - Madeira
Date: 2023-04-14

Date: 2012-07-02

Date: 2012-07-02

Date: 2012-07-02
Location: National Botanical Garden, DC, Virginia :) | May, 2022
Date: 2022-05-28
Location: Mountain City, Texas
Date: 2016-07-10
Location: Seville, Spain | April, 2023
Date: 2023-04-05
Photo by Hamwild
Location: zone 8 Lake City, Fl.
Date: 2013-04-28
Location: zone 8 Lake City, Fl.
Date: 2013-04-28
Photo by hlutzow
Location: Port Orange, Florida
Date: 2018-07-20
Juvenile plants sprouting at base.
Location: Potohar, Punjab.
Date: 2013-01-13
Location: Oviedo, Florida, United States
Date: 2019-12-30
New growth coming from a discarded trunk.
Location: US National Arboretum, Washington DC
Date: 2015-02-28
Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta)
Location: Youngsville, LA
Date: 2018-05-07
By tabbycat

Date: 2020-09-27
rescue plant is regenerating
Location: zone 8 Lake City, Fl.
Date: 2015-02-14
Location: At home - San Joaquin County, CA
Date: 2014-03-31
New pups removed from our cycad
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2010-03-11
Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2010-03-11
Location: California State University, Sacramento.
Date: 2015-03-24
Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta) Zone 9b 2015-03-24
Location: Northwest NJ
Date: 2011-12-01
Location: Sydney Australia
Date: 2019-06-08
Location: Temple, Texas
Date: 2023-06-15
4' plant struggling to come back after Texas TWO horrible freezes
Location: Flowery Branch, GA
Date: 2017-07-23
Photo by Hamwild
Location: Opp, AL
Date: 2016-06-15
Location: zone 8 Lake City, Fl.
Date: 2013-04-28
Location: At a nursery
Date: 2011-11-20
Location: Provo, Utah
Date: 2011-11-20
Location: Temple, Texas
Date: 2019-05-28
4+ years old, with pups showing
Location: Orange, CA
Date: 2016-06-07
Sago Palm
Location: Orange, CA
Date: 2016-06-07
Sago Palm
Location: 98108
Date: 2013-03-21

Date: 2020-11-29
Apparently this is how offshoots look like deep underground...
Location: Potohar, Punjab.
Date: 2013-01-13
Location: Orange, CA
Date: 2016-10-08
Female flower
Location: zone 8 Lake City, Fl.
Date: 2013-05-22
Location: Houston
Date: 2012-05-02
Location: US National Arboretum, Washington DC
Date: 2017-11-11
Sago Palm
Location: US National Arboretum, Washington DC
Date: 2017-11-11
Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta)
Location: US National Arboretum, Washington DC
Date: 2015-02-28
Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta)
Location: Blondmyk's Backyard, Corpus Christi, TX
Date: 2014-09-30
Example of King Sago "Pups".  These are freshly dug, uncleaned, a
Location: Rose Wood Apts, Corpus Christi, TX
Date: 2014-09-30
Very OLD King Sago Palm.  Actual Age unknown, but 30+ years old.
Location: Rose Wood Apts, Corpus Christi, TX
Date: 2014-09-30
Interesting oddity regarding this plant:  The double headed Sago

Date: September
credit: Prenn
Location: Female Cone
Date: 2014-01-17
Photo courtesy of: MomentsForZen
Location: Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid
photo credit: A. Barra
Location: Flowery Branch, GA
Date: 2017-07-23
Location: Orange,Ca
Date: 2016-06-07
Sago Palm
Location: Garden
Date: 2014-05-13
The new fronds of a Double Sago. Taken as a Pup from the Mother,
Location: Garden
Date: 2014-05-13
New growth of a Double Sago
Location: Houston, Texas
Date: 2010-06-27
with visitor
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Comments:
  • Posted by Gymgirl ( SE Houston, Tx. (Hobby) - Zone 9a) on Sep 23, 2011 3:34 PM concerning plant:
    Careful when reaching in to harvest seeds from a female plant blossom, as some people can (unknowingly) have an allergic reaction to the blossom. Always wear long sleeves and gloves to avoid an itchy, burning, sensation along your arms. It's very similar to what you experience after laying fiberglass insulation!
Plant Events from our members
Blondmyk On October 24, 2014 Potted up
Planted three of the four pups today in pots that I deemed of appropriately small size for the pups. They only require a little space to grow and do not appreciate larger pots. They seem to have dried successfully and I'm hoping that I haven't let them dry for too long. Some of them look like expanded pine cones. It should be interesting to see how they do. I used standard Miracle Gro potting soil with an over abundance of perlite added additionally. Next transplant they will be introduced to the native sandy soil.
Blondmyk On October 1, 2014 Obtained plant
Obtained 4 pups from an aged Mother plant at 1134 Central st in front parking area. A week later I discovered a much larger 8" pup there as well. All of these are curing on the back porch...cleaned and allowing the scabs to dry over.
tjr920 On August 20, 2015 Obtained plant
Purchased in Orlando, Florida while on vacation
hlutzow On September 18, 2019 Obtained plant
» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant
Thread Title Last Reply Replies
Banner photo? by eclayne Jul 25, 2012 11:10 AM 5
Cycas revoluta 'King Palm' by OrlandoBill May 18, 2014 5:17 PM 0
Amazing photo! by sandnsea2 Jun 10, 2017 6:46 AM 1
Lighting by Hamwild Sep 6, 2019 5:17 PM 1
Sago palm & Schefflera arboricola by purpleinopp Jun 29, 2021 7:30 AM 3

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