Sago Palm
4.4 out of 5 (37 experiences)
Survivor
Large, lush leaves
About Sago Palm
These palm-like plants are not actually palms, and are actually most closely related to pine trees! They are evergreen perennials that could be found all over the world during the Jurassic period. Since then, their numbers have dropped as flowering plants took over. They are now threatened worldwide and almost all the species are listed as threatened by the IUCN Redlist. 😢
Taxonomy
Cycas revoluta
Cycas
Cycadaceae
Cycadales
Also known as
King sago, Sago Cycad, Japanese sago palm and Cycad
How to care for Sago Palm
How often to water your Sago Palm
every 9
Sago Palm needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.
Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Water 0.5 cups every
9
Finding light for Sago Palm in your home
a window
Sago Palm love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.
Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.
Sago Palm does not tolerate low-light 🚫.
Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Sago Palm in your home 🏡.
How to fertilize Sago Palm
Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Sago Palm after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.
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Attempting rehabilitation on this palm that was given to me. It seems to be staying steady and hasn’t lost more green than you see (even though it’s pathetic looking). Anyone have advice for this? #SagoPalm
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In need of advice for my port sago plant I’ve been looking after this baby for about 3 months now and he has never seemed very happy. I tried different watering frequency and sunlight adjustment but after a ten days trip out of town I came to learn that the newest leaf is turning yellowish and the slanting has gotten more serious. Am I doing something wrong? Please someone help me help him. Thank you in advance.
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Need help with yellowing/browning leaves Hi all, it’s been a minute but lots of changes and lots of new plants coming! But first I need help getting my girlfriends plant back to looking green and healthy. I watered and moved this plant outside about a week and a half ago when it started looking like this but it’s gotten worse and I’ve decided to bring it back in. Watered it again because it is light.
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Sago palm growth? Will the brown fronds grow into new leaves?? Or do those only grow from the center?
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Should I be transferring to a bigger pot? I just got this and have never had a palm before. #SagoPalm
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What is this on my Sago Palm? What is this on the soil of my Sago Palm? Mold? Pests? What should I do? #SagoPalm #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict #help
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What can I do to save my tree
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#sagopalm Inherited this 20 yr old sago palm. Not looking good. Ideas?
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sago so i’ve tried saving this, trimming the rotted roots, & repotting it but the leaves just turned more yellow any solutions?
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New plant baby from my sister 💚🫶 #SagoPalm
Sago Palm is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!
💦 Water Needs
Sago Palm prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
☀️ Sunlight Needs
Sago Palm requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.
🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity
Sago Palm is extremely dangerous if consumed. If you, a family member, or a pet has ingested any amount of plant material contact Poison Control, US (800) 222-1222, or your veterinarian immediately. Sago Palm is not recommended for homes with children, cats, or dogs.
💨 Humidity
Sago Palm doesn’t require additional humidity. Plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves, so the best way to provide humidity for your plants is through watering the soil.
🪴 Soil
Sago Palm does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!
💩 Fertilizer
Sago Palm grows very slowly and doesn’t require added fertilizer. Replacing your plant’s potting soil once a year should provide them with more than enough nutrition. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!
🌎 Native Region
Sago Palm is native to Old World.
🌸 Flowers
⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern
Sago Palm grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.
🌦️ Growing Outdoors
USDA Hardiness Zone
Sago Palm can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 9a-12b. Find your local hardiness zone here.
🌱 Propagation
The seeds of Sago Palm can be used to grow new plants! After your plant flowers, any seeds that formed can be collected and germinated in potting soil.
🍂 Yellow Leaves
Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.
Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Sago Palm, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.
Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!
🧐 Troubleshooting
When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.
Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.
Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.
Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.
Care Summary for Sago Palm
Sago Palm
Greg recommends:
Water
0.5 cups every 9 days
Placement
< 1ft from a window
Nutrients
Repot after 2x growth
Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.
What other plant parents say
Survivor 16
Large, lush leaves 13
Fast grower 6
Browns easily 3
Pest magnet 2
Easy to propagate 2
Blooms easily 1
01/13/2022
I’ve had this for one year now and the only change I see is a few little needles are browning. It’s sharp AF so put it somewhere it can’t poke your @ss when you walk by.
I love the prehistoric look and it’s easy to care for. Doesn’t seem to care if I water it on time or never. But other than that it’s quite boring and therefore not very rewarding.
12/30/2021
It is very toxic to animals and people. I’ve found a new home for my Sago Palm, that doesn’t have pets.
10/04/2021
Resilient
Survivor
08/28/2021
exotic
08/26/2021
I found my sago palm next to the community dumpster at my apartment and figured I would make this thing my responsibility, so I stuck it outside on my SE facing balcony and promptly forgot about it for a few weeks. This plant is surprisingly easy to neglect, which is perfect because this plant also really enjoys neglect. I water deeply every 2-3 weeks and fertilize when I happen to think about it. The first set of leaves from its previous dumpster parents are kind of brown and a bit bent, but new leaves unfurl nicely and are very green. If you have a sunny outdoor space but also have ADHD, you can definitely keep a sago palm alive.
Survivor
08/13/2021
This plant is not actually a palm, it’s in the fern family- I am unable to successfully grow ferns, I have tried. Ferns and aloe plants drop dead of “failure to thrive” in my house. Spam is currently hanging on by a thread- not sure if it’s passed over, or still with us.🧙♀️⌛️
Pest magnet
Browns easily
07/09/2021
Leaves are very sharp and pointy - put somewhere that you won’t brush against it regularly!
Survivor
07/06/2021
This is a slow growing cactus from seed. It lost two leaves during transfer but the remaining leaf is going good. It had a few brown spots when I got it but they haven’t progressed do it’s stable.
Browns easily
Large, lush leaves
07/06/2021
The sago palm is a slow flower
07/01/2021
Bad for animals
Large, lush leaves
Survivor
06/04/2021
Cool looking plant that doesn’t need a whole bunch of attention
Large, lush leaves
04/30/2021
This plant is impossible to kill. It gets no direct sunlight EVER and almost no indirect sunlight on any given day. I found it next to a garbage can on a cold night and even then it didn’t show any noticeable signs of stress. It can go weeks without watering and still looks as healthy as the day after you watered it.
Survivor
Large, lush leaves
03/17/2021
Grows so fast!! The plant gets tall and wide, so make sure you put it in a spot with plenty of space for it to flourish.
Fast grower
02/16/2021
Beautiful, fun looking plant! Use caution, though— it’s toxic to humans and pets.
Large, lush leaves
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