How to Plant, Grow, and Care For Sago Palm Trees

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.

What are Sago Palms?

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. 

Characteristics

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.

Native Area

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. 

Planting

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.

Transplanting

With warm air and soil temps, carefully remove the sago from its pot and gently loosen the roots. Dig an area twice the size of the rootball for in-ground planting to aerate the soil. Add organic matter if the soil needs enrichment.

Install the palm level with the soil surface, with the crown at the same level as in the nursery pot. Sagos don’t do well if they settle below the soil surface. Once the new plant is in the garden bed or container, water deeply to soak the roots and surrounding soil.

How to Grow

In the right growing locations, sago palms are carefree and have few maintenance needs. Specific cultural requirements, like regular moisture and morning sun, are best for optimal health and flowering.

Potted houseplants enjoy summers outdoors in high shade or dappled light. Bring them in before temperatures drop in the fall.

Light

The tropicals thrive in bright, indirect sun. Locations where they get morning sun and filtered afternoon light in hot climates are ideal. Outside of partial shade (four hours or less of daily sunlight), you’ll find them growing in full sun locations, but harsh direct rays can damage foliage. Sunscorch can cause browning and fraying.

Indoors, provide plenty of bright, indirect light. Place them near a sunny window that receives four to six hours of filtered light (like through a curtain) and rotate the plant occasionally for even exposure. They adapt to lower light conditions, but a bright spot is best.

Water

The islanders prefer regular moisture but are relatively drought-tolerant once established. While they tolerate occasional flooding with fast-draining soils, the cycads have a low threshold for prolonged periods of standing water. Overly wet soils can lead to root rot, and they’ll wither in saturated situations.

As houseplants, they withstand drying out slightly between waterings. Indoors, water plants thoroughly when the top inch of medium feels dry to the touch. Stress during dry spells causes leaves to brown and invites pests like spider mites.

For those growing in containers, make sure the pots are well-draining. Check on container moisture often during the warm season since they dry out faster than ground soils and need water more frequently. Reduce watering sessions in the fall when the active growing season slows and when containers move back inside. Water in the winter only when the soil feels dry to the touch to a depth of an inch (every three weeks or so as needed).

Soil

Sandy, humusy, and well-draining soils create an ideal foundation. Good drainage is essential to healthy roots. Sagos do well with a neutral to slightly acidic soil pH. In containers, opt for a high-quality mix amended with sand or perlite to promote drainage (or a formula tailored to palms).

Add compost at planting, especially in poor soils like clay and sand. Compost helps with aeration, moisture retention, drainage, and nutrition. Adding a compost layer to the bed or container each spring refreshes these benefits for the growing season.

Temperature and Humidity

Temperate, moist, sunny environments offer the best conditions for sagos. Temperatures between 65-75°F (18-21°C) are ideal. They withstand winter temperatures that dip as low as 15℉ but may show frost damage through yellow and browning tips. 

For indoor specimens, keep them out of heated or cooled drafts that lead to excess drying. While their natural island setting has high humidity, average household levels are usually fine. Ideal humidity is around 30-50 percent; place pots near a tray filled with pebbles and water if dry conditions are a concern.

Fertilizing

Sago palms usually don’t require additional fertilizer in the landscape. If you have lean or sandy soils and want to boost nutrition, opt for a low-grade slow-release granular like 5-5-5 in the spring or early summer. The same holds for potted specimens, where a granular or liquid feed may support growth in the warm months.

Manganese deficiency can be common, especially in more alkaline soils. It presents as yellow or brown streaks or spots on leaves. New growth may distort, stunt, and quickly turn from yellow to brown. Growth on the upper portion of the plants may dieback completely. Amend with palm fertilizer or manganese (different from magnesium) if signs point to a deficiency.

Maintenance

Sago palms benefit from a mulch cover to regulate soil temperatures, provide insulation, retain moisture, and suppress weeds. Pine straw, bark chips, or leaf litter are suitable materials. Pull back the mulch layer from the trunk to prevent disease issues.

Prune to remove dead fronds as needed. Young plants produce leaves intermittently, but mature selections only produce one per year. Leave yellowing fronds in place until they completely turn brown. These continue to absorb nutrients and photosynthesize for the core.

Propagation

Dividing suckering offshoots is the simplest method for propagation. Little pups form at the base of the parent trunk and make it easy to expand the collection. Dividing is most successful in the spring or fall as it gives newly divided plants time to establish for the active growing season.

Growing from seed, too, is a viable way to produce new plants. It takes time and patience for the slow growers to germinate and develop.

Dividing Offsets

Sago offsets appear as miniature versions of the mother tree. They’re attached at the base of the trunk, absorbing nutrients while developing small fronds.

Growing From Seed

The bright red berries in late summer and fall are easy to collect. The ambitious (and patient) gardener can grow sagos from seed, though it may take a few months for germination and years for a more developed specimen.

Common Problems

Sago palm trees are not only elegant, they also have few pests and disease problems. They may occasionally incur common garden pests like scale, mealybugs, and spider mites. The best control is prevention through maintaining optimal cultural requirements.

Pests

The best outcome is to spot pests early. In the landscape, beneficial insects like lacewings and ladybugs prey on some of the most common offenders. Add diverse blooming plants to support insect life for a balanced garden system.

Mealybugs

Mealybugs are soft-bodied and look like tiny tufts of white cotton or dust on leaves and stems. In an infestation, you’ll see the insect accompanied by yellowing, wilting, stunted leaves, and decline. They feed on sap and lay eggs in cellular tissues. Mealybugs also leave behind a signature sticky honeydew that can lead to black, sooty mold.

Spray leaves and stems with water early in the day to displace the pests. Follow up with a cotton swab treatment. Dip the swab in less than 70% isopropyl alcohol and wipe the stems and leaves. This treatment is effective at instantly reducing early numbers. Horticultural oils like neem are good options for more severe cases.

To prevent mealybugs, aim for consistent moisture. Avoid overfertilizing, as many pests enjoy tender new growth and high nitrogen levels, and excess fertilizer promotes both.

Spider Mites

Spider mites are tiny sap-suckers that live on the undersides of leaves. You may not see the tiny insects without a magnifying glass, but their fine webbing on stems and leaves gives them away.

Colonies live near leaf veins and mid-ribs underneath leaves. The females lay eggs, and the larvae hatch to quickly feed on sap and tissues. Adults feed and produce the tight webs.

With spider mites, foliage shows pale spots, light yellowing, and white stippling on surfaces. Leaves become stiff and curl, leading to early drop. Spider mites occur most in warm, dry, and dusty conditions. Specimens that experience drought stress from underwatering are most susceptible.

If you detect spider mites, use the stream of water method. A horticultural soap or oil helps mitigate large populations. 

Scale

Scale join their fellow common pests in piercing leaves and stems to feed on sap. They look like little legless blobs or splotches, usually appearing on the undersides of leaves and stems as black, gray, or silvery dots.

In scale outbreaks, leaves may turn yellow and drop, with stems dying back in heavy infestations. New growth may stunt or show deformities. Remove affected growth where feasible in severe cases.

For small numbers, employ the cotton swab and alcohol rub. This manages early numbers. As a last resort, horticultural soaps and oils are effective in controlling nymph populations.

To prevent scale, keep leaves free of dust. Give them an occasional rinse during a regular watering session.