How to grow potted sago palm well? A detailed guide to the latest care methods

The sago palm is also known as phoenix-tail cycad, phoenix-tail banana, phoenix-tail pine, etc. It is a plant of the genus Cycas in the family Cycadaceae. It is most famous for its flowering, known as “the sago palm blooms”. Its tree form is quaint and elegant, the trunk is thick and strong, hard as iron, the feather-like leaves are clean, smooth and glossy, and it is evergreen all year round. In the south it is mostly planted beside courtyards and steps and in lawns, while in the north it is suitable as a large potted plant for decorating courtyards, corridors and halls. Now let us take a look at how to grow potted sago palms well!

Growth habits of the sago palm

The sago palm likes a warm, hot and humid environment, is not tolerant of cold, grows very slowly, and has a lifespan of about 200 years. In the tropics of southern China and the southern subtropics, trees over 10 years old bloom and bear fruit almost every year, while cycads cultivated in the Yangtze River basin and various northern regions often never bloom throughout their lives, or occasionally bloom and bear fruit. It likes light and likes iron, and is slightly tolerant of partial shade. When planted in the open ground in the Shanghai area, measures such as wrapping with straw are needed for warmth in winter. It likes fertile, moist and slightly acidic soil, but can also tolerate drought. It grows slowly, and plants over 10 years old can bloom.

Propagation methods of the sago palm

1. Sowing: when both female and male plants bloom at the same time, seeds are easily obtained through artificial supplementary pollination. Using the large-seed sowing method, the seeds germinate relatively slowly, beginning to emerge 4 to 6 months after sowing, and are divided 2 to 3 years later. However, in the north, seeds are rarely obtained from cultivation, so division propagation is mostly used.

2. Division: vigorous perennial plants of the sago palm often produce suckers at the base. Cut off three-year-old suckers with 4 to 5 leaves, plant them in a flower pot filled with river sand, with the planting depth about half the plant height, water thoroughly, and place in a shady place for root promotion and care. The potting soil should be dry rather than wet; rooting generally begins in 2 to 3 months, and after rooting they can be potted in leaf mold soil.

How to grow a potted sago palm?

1. Soil: the sago palm is suitable for growing in fertile, slightly acidic sandy soil. The growing medium can be prepared with 1 part coarse sand and 4 parts garden soil, or 5 parts leaf mold soil and 1 part fine stone granules, or 2 parts sandy soil and 2 parts leaf mold soil, etc. It likes iron, so when preparing the growing medium a small amount of iron filings can be mixed in, or in early spring iron filings can be scattered on the potting soil or buried in the pot. A 0.5% ferrous sulfate spray can also be used to supplement iron, making the leaves firm and emerald green.

2. Fertilizing: during the growing season from May to October, the sago palm can be given compound fertilizer or urea 1 to 2 times a month. Urea is best diluted with water 1000 times and sprayed on the leaves, and foliar fertilizer should follow the principle of “small meals, more often”. The daily rice-washing water from the home, without any oil in it, can be stored in a bucket or basin, and used as liquid fertilizer for watering the next day, with a certain fertilizing effect.

3. Watering: the sago palm grows slowly and does not like heavy water. Especially in spring, autumn and winter, watering must strictly follow the principle of alternating wet and dry, that is, after one watering, wait until the potting soil looks dry before watering a second time. In summer, except on rainy days, water once a day and spray water on the leaf cluster, but avoid waterlogging, otherwise the roots will rot and cause death. After the beginning of autumn, growth gradually slows down, so water should be controlled and a certain degree of dryness maintained to facilitate overwintering.

4. Temperature: the suitable growing temperature for the sago palm is 20 to 30°C, but it is relatively tolerant of high heat and severe cold. In winter, it can still overwinter outdoors at around minus 5°C, while below minus 10°C it needs protection to overwinter. The sago palm fears snow; if it snows, it should be moved indoors or covered with plastic film, otherwise the old leaves will turn yellow in the following spring and lose their ornamental value.

5. Light: the sago palm relatively likes an environment with sufficient light and relatively warm, humid conditions, and should usually be placed in a spot with direct sunlight. However, potted sago palms are not tolerant of blazing sun exposure, and especially the new leaves of the sago palm are very easily scorched and withered yellow. Therefore, after new leaves emerge and in midsummer, a certain amount of shade should be provided.

6. Repotting: when growing the sago palm in a pot, attention should be paid to repotting, generally at least once every 5 years. When repotting, phosphorus fertilizer such as bone meal can be mixed into the potting soil, and the best time for repotting is when the temperature is around 15°C. At this time, for vigorously growing plants, some old roots should also be appropriately trimmed away to help new roots grow in time.

7. Pruning: after the stem of the sago palm grows to 50 cm tall, the old leaves should be cut off in spring, and thereafter one round should be cut each year, or at least once every 3 years. If the plant is still small and its spread is not ideal, all the leaves can be cut off; this will not affect the angle at which new leaves grow and will make the plant more perfect. When pruning, cut as close to the base of the leaf stalk as possible to make the stem neat and beautiful.

8. Pests and diseases

① Leaf spot disease: the sago palm is often harmed by leaf spot disease. In summer, rinse with more clean water, and diseased old leaves should be removed in time. In the early stage of the disease, spray 75% carbendazim wettable powder 800 times solution, or 50% thiophanate wettable powder 800 times solution, about once every 10 days, with good results.

② Scale insects: when potted and cared for on a balcony with insufficient ventilation and light, the leaves of the sago palm are often easily harmed by scale insects. Repeatedly wiping the affected leaves gently with alcohol can kill adults and larvae, and wiping the affected leaves gently with a cotton ball soaked in rice vinegar can kill the scale insects.