Cycad Picture Gallery: Get to Know the Evergreen Sago Palm

Cycad, commonly known as the sago palm or iron tree, is an evergreen palm-like woody plant with a thick, upright trunk and a cluster of pinnate compound leaves at the top; the leaflets are slender, stiff, dark green and glossy. Most cycad pictures seen online show its typical outline, which looks like an open green umbrella from a distance and is highly recognisable.

Cycads are dioecious, meaning male and female flowers grow on separate plants. The male plant's cone is cylindrical, while the female plant's flower is feather-like, and the seeds it produces are mostly orange-red when ripe. It grows very slowly, often taking years to produce a single round of new leaves, which is why there is a folk saying about the iron tree blooming, used to describe something extremely rare. Besides the common cycad, related species such as the South China cycad and the Yunnan cycad differ somewhat in appearance, and comparing pictures makes them easier to tell apart.

From a care perspective, cycads like a sunny, warm and humid environment, tolerate drought but dislike waterlogging, and when grown in pots should be given loose, well-draining soil. Water by letting the soil dry out between waterings, and avoid long-term water accumulation in the pot, which can cause root rot; when temperatures drop in winter, take care to protect them from the cold by moving them indoors or placing them in a sheltered, sunny spot.

With its dignified shape and evergreen foliage, the cycad is well suited to courtyards and parks, and can also be grown in pots and placed in halls, doorways and similar spots, offering high ornamental value. One word of caution: its seeds and plant sap are somewhat toxic, so keep children and pets from eating them when admiring the plant.