Sago Palm

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Origin

The Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta), despite its name, isn't actually a palm, although it does look like one. It's actually a Cycas plant - the only plant from its genus that is sold commercially to be grown as an indoor houseplant.

Sago Palms originate from Asia, specifically Japan and parts of southern China, where they enjoy warm temperatures in a tropical environment.

Although these plants are relatively new to the houseplant scene, Cycads are one of the oldest plant types around in the wild - they've been here since the time of the dinosaurs over 200 million years ago!

Care

Sago Palms are adapted to live in tropical environments, therefore, they like plenty of warmth, sun and humidity. Bright, indirect sunlight is best, as too much direct light may scorch the leaves, but not enough light will slow this plant's growth rate even further.

You can boost the humidity around your Sago Palm by misting it regularly - your plant will thank you for it!

These plants are sensitive to overwatering, so it's important to ensure yours is potted in a well-draining soil in a pot with drainage holes. Always make sure to empty out any excess water that collects beneath your plant pot.

When new growth occurs (known as a 'break'), the leaves will be delicate and can be easily damaged. Therefore, it's important that you try to avoid handling your plant during this time - keep it somewhere where it won't be disturbed. If you notice that the leaves start to lean or grow in a skewed way towards the light, you should make sure to rotate your Sago Palm every now and then in order to encourage even growth.

Other

Sago Palms are incredibly slow-growing, but can eventually reach heights of around 6 feet (1.8 m) when grown indoors. In their native environment they can grow even larger - up to 10 feet (3 m) tall, but this can take as long as 50 years!

Similarly, if you want to propagate your Sago Palm then you're going to need to be very patient. It can take several months for seeds to germinate, and for a plant to grow into a full tree it will take a number of years.

Note that unfortunately Sago Palms are toxic to both humans and animals, so keep yours out of reach of children and / or pets.