Does a Sago Palm Bloom?
The spiky, primitive sago palm, also called king sago palm, is a low-maintenance addition to the garden. Sago palms (Cycas revoluta) are not really palm trees but get their common name from their similar-looking growth habit to true palms. Sago palms are cycads, an ancient species of plant that produces seeds but does not flower. Sago palms are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8b through 11.
Cycads are a group of plant that dates back to prehistoric times. They are related to conifers like pine and spruce trees. In a similar habit as conifers, cycads produce seeds in cones, rather than in flowers and fruits. These ancient, flower-less seed plants all belong to the group of plants called gymnosperms. The sago palm is one of about 250 species of cycads. The cycad family consists of 11 genera.
Sago palms are dioecious, a term used to describe plants that have separate male and female members. In contrast, many plants produce both male and female flowers on the same plant and are self-fertile. While the sago palm doesn't produce a flower, it still relies on pollinators to transfer pollen from the small male cones to the large cones on the female plants. Insects and rodents do the job, attracted to the colorful flesh that surrounds the seeds.
Like flowering plants, the non-flowering sago palm can be propagated by seed, a lengthy process that requires four to seven months of seed storage prior to planting. Once the seeds fall from the open cones, they are stored in a cool dry place. After the storage period, the seeds are washed to remove the fleshy fruit and then soaked for 48 hours in room temperature water. A faster way to propagate sago palms is by removing and planting offsets. The offsets are clones of the parent plant that develop at the base of the trunk near the soil line.
Growing Sago Palms
The rough-looking woody trunk of the sago palm grows slowly. Under the right conditions, it can grow up to 20 feet tall, but it takes 100 years to reach that height. This slow-growing plant will stay small when grown as a container plant outdoors within the hardiness zone, or indoors in colder areas. It requires proper drainage to prevent the roots from rotting. Sago palms thrive in full sun to part shade. Keep it looking tidy by removing the old fronds towards the bottom as they turn brown. The seed cones develop under the base of the fronds.
Eulalia Palomo has been a professional writer since 2009. Prior to taking up writing full time she has worked as a landscape artist and organic gardener. Palomo holds a Bachelor of Arts in liberal studies from Boston University. She travels widely and has spent over six years living abroad.