Sago Palm (Bread or Funeral Palm, or Cycad)
Cycas species (CYCADACEAE)
Planting and Growing Sago Palm Trees
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow sago, bread, or funeral palm trees (cycads) in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, cones, and seeds of sago palm (bread or funeral palm, or cycad)
- Growing conditions for sago palm
- When to plant sago palm
- How to plant sago palm
- How to prune sago palm
- Watering, fertilizing, and care of sago palm
- Landscape uses of sago palm
- Pest and disease control for sago palm
Growing Sago Palm Trees
About 20 species of slow-growing, upright, columnar, round-headed, primitive, palmlike, evergreen cycads, 10–20 ft. (3–6 m) tall. Smooth, shiny, deep green, feathery, stiff, divided, palmlike leaves, to 8 ft. (2.4 m) long, in opposite, lance-shaped leaflets, to 1 ft. (30 cm) long, radiate from a central crown. Horticulturally related to conifers.
Sago Palm Planting and Care Guide
Cones and Seeds
Dense, upright, conelike fruiting bodies, 4–12 in. (10–30 cm) long, form many cream, white, plumelike, sporophylls, 8–12 in. (20–30 cm) long, on female trees, in branching clusters, in autumn, with round to oval, orange, red, pith-covered, fertile or infertile seed, in winter.
Best Climates
U.S.D.A. Plant Hardiness Zones 8–11. Tender. Best in subtropical climates.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist, well-drained humus. Fertility: Rich. 5.5–7.0 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Full sun to partial shade. Space 5 ft. (1.5 m) apart.
Proper Care
Easy. Keep evenly moist. Fertilize monthly. Mulch. Deadhead spent leaves by cutting at trunk. Protect from frost. Propagate by seed, suckers.
About This Species
Good choice for accents, borders, hedges in natural, wildlife gardens. Fruit attracts birds. Aphid, scale and fireblight susceptible.