Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta)

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:

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

Uploaded by hedacc

Location: Central Texas
Date: 2017-07-12

Uploaded by Esperanza

Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Date: 2012-05-05

Uploaded by plantladylin

Uploaded by Fleur569

Location: Garden
Date: 2014-05-18
These were taken from a Double Headed King Sago

Uploaded by OrlandoBill

Location: Baja California
Date: 2017-08-05

Uploaded by Baja_Costero

Location: Fountain Valley, Calif
Date: 2005-01-30
two Sago heads are better then one

Uploaded by Strever

Location: Baja California
Date: 2019-06-25

Uploaded by Baja_Costero

Location: Itabirito, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Date: 2024-08-09

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Location: Temple, Texas
Date: 2021-04-26
New fronds emerging 70 days after Texas Snowpocalypse 2021. I wa

Uploaded by Peggy8b

Location: BBS Tampa, Florida
Date: 2023-03-18

Uploaded by GigiAdeniumPlumeria

Location: In my garden in Oklahoma City
Date: May, 1999
Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta) in OkC 001

Uploaded by jathton

Location: Port Orange, Florida
Date: 2018-05-17

Uploaded by plantladylin

Location: Saint Helena Island, SC
Date: 2006-10-11
Female Flower

Uploaded by ardesia

Location: Merritt Island, Florida Zone 9b
Date: 2022-09-07
I have 4 very large saga's that have been producing baby palms ar

Uploaded by MySecretIslandGarden

Uploaded by GigiAdeniumPlumeria

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Location: Central Texas
Date: 1980-01-01

Uploaded by Esperanza

Uploaded by Hamwild

Uploaded by queen1694

Location: Youngsville, LA
Date: 2018-05-07
By tabbycat

Uploaded 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.

Uploaded by HamiltonSquare

Uploaded by piksihk

$Location: Houston, Texas, outdoors, full sun Date: May 29, 2009 10:44 AM King Sago Palm male \"cone\" blooming$

Uploaded by Gymgirl

Location: Edinburg, Texas | June, 2023
Date: 2023-06-10

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Date: 2017-11-11

Uploaded by plantladylin

$Location: Houston, Texas, outdoors, full sun Date: May 17, 2009 3:43 PM King Sago Palm female \"flower\" beginning$

Uploaded by Gymgirl

Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Date: 2012-05-05
In a neighbors yard

Uploaded by plantladylin

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Saint Helena Island, SC
Date: 2006-10-11
Close up of the female flower

Uploaded by ardesia

Location: US National Arboretum, Washington DC
Date: 2015-02-28
Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta)

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Location: Tucson, AZ
Date: 05/05/2016
first year female had multiple "blooms" - in past (2 time) single

Uploaded by sharono

Location: In my garden - San Joaquin County, CA
Date: 2014-03-31
My newly repotted cycad!

Uploaded by tarev

Location: Menton, France
Date: 2015-11-16

Uploaded by cliftoncat

Uploaded by eriktampabay

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Location: Sydney Australia
Date: 2019-08-21
Sago Palm Cycas revoluta

Uploaded by yowie

Uploaded by piksihk

Uploaded by piksihk

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: Winter Springs, FL zone 9b
Date: 2017-06-03
Double male blooms, the one is almost two feet tall.

Uploaded by sunkissed

Location: Menton, France
Date: 2015-11-17

Uploaded by cliftoncat

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Mountain City, Texas
Date: 2016-07-10

Uploaded by froggardener

Location: Sea World San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
Date: 2022-04-03

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Date: 2013-04-24

Uploaded by plantladylin

Location: zone 8 Lake City, Fl.
Date: 2013-04-28

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Location: Temple, Texas
Date: 2019-09-06
Purchased late August 2019; new leaves emerging Sept 6th! Settin

Uploaded by Peggy8b

Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Date: 2016-03-29

Uploaded by JamesAcclaims

Location: San Antonio Botanical Garden, San Antonio, Texas
Date: 2022-04-04

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Date: 2015-08-05

Uploaded by JamesAcclaims

Uploaded by cocoajuno

Location: Southwest Florida
Date: February 2012
A group of beautiful Sago Palms in the landscape.

Uploaded by Dutchlady1

Location: Seville, Spain | April, 2023
Date: 2023-04-06
Lots of pups

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Amelia Island , Florida
Date: 2015-12-24

Uploaded by gardengus

Uploaded by gardengus

Location: Garden next to Smithsonian, DC, Virginia | May, 2022
Date: 2022-05-28

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: In our garden - San Joaquin County, CA
Date: 2014-03-31
Lifted up caudex during repot on 30Mar2014

Uploaded by tarev

Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2012-03-22

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: Houston, Texas
Date: 2011-07-22

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2010-03-11

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI
Date: 2008-03-07

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2014-12-16
seeds came from Houston

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Monte Palace - Funchal - Madeira
Date: 2023-04-14

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: National Botanical Garden, DC, Virginia :) | May, 2022
Date: 2022-05-28

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by froggardener

Location: Seville, Spain | April, 2023
Date: 2023-04-05

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by Hamwild

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Uploaded by hlutzow

Location: Port Orange, Florida
Date: 2018-07-20
Juvenile plants sprouting at base.

Uploaded by plantladylin

Location: Potohar, Punjab.
Date: 2013-01-13

Uploaded by KAMasud

Location: Oviedo, Florida, United States
Date: 2019-12-30
New growth coming from a discarded trunk.

Uploaded by BlueOddish

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Uploaded by tabbycat

Date: 2020-09-27
rescue plant is regenerating

Uploaded by ketsui73

Location: zone 8 Lake City, Fl.
Date: 2015-02-14

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Location: At home - San Joaquin County, CA
Date: 2014-03-31
New pups removed from our cycad

Uploaded by tarev

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: California State University, Sacramento.
Date: 2015-03-24
Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta) Zone 9b 2015-03-24

Uploaded by HamiltonSquare

Uploaded by NJBob

Location: Sydney Australia
Date: 2019-06-08

Uploaded by yowie

Location: Temple, Texas
Date: 2023-06-15
4' plant struggling to come back after Texas TWO horrible freezes

Uploaded by Peggy8b

Location: Flowery Branch, GA
Date: 2017-07-23

Uploaded by GenXNEGeorgia

Uploaded by Hamwild

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: Temple, Texas
Date: 2019-05-28
4+ years old, with pups showing

Uploaded by Peggy8b

Location: Orange, CA
Date: 2016-06-07
Sago Palm

Uploaded by Englishgardener

Uploaded by Englishgardener

Uploaded by a2b1c3

Date: 2020-11-29
Apparently this is how offshoots look like deep underground...

Uploaded by skopjecollection

Uploaded by KAMasud

Location: Orange, CA
Date: 2016-10-08
Female flower

Uploaded by Englishgardener

Location: zone 8 Lake City, Fl.
Date: 2013-05-22

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: US National Arboretum, Washington DC
Date: 2017-11-11
Sago Palm

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Location: US National Arboretum, Washington DC
Date: 2017-11-11
Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta)

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Uploaded by Nick_Kurzenko

Location: Blondmyk's Backyard, Corpus Christi, TX
Date: 2014-09-30
Example of King Sago "Pups". These are freshly dug, uncleaned, a

Uploaded by Blondmyk

Location: Rose Wood Apts, Corpus Christi, TX
Date: 2014-09-30
Very OLD King Sago Palm. Actual Age unknown, but 30+ years old.

Uploaded by Blondmyk

Location: Rose Wood Apts, Corpus Christi, TX
Date: 2014-09-30
Interesting oddity regarding this plant: The double headed Sago

Uploaded by Blondmyk

Uploaded by robertduval14

Location: Female Cone
Date: 2014-01-17
Photo courtesy of: MomentsForZen

Uploaded by admin

Location: Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid
photo credit: A. Barra

Uploaded by robertduval14

Uploaded by GenXNEGeorgia

Uploaded by Englishgardener

Location: Garden
Date: 2014-05-13
The new fronds of a Double Sago. Taken as a Pup from the Mother,

Uploaded by OrlandoBill

Location: Garden
Date: 2014-05-13
New growth of a Double Sago

Uploaded by OrlandoBill

Location: Houston, Texas
Date: 2010-06-27
with visitor

Uploaded by jmorth

This plant is tagged in:

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!

1 reply

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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Cycas Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta)

Cycas
Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta)