Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta) Care: Ancient Living Fossil

Your 18-inch plant with a stout trunk and 5 stiff, spiny leaves is a sago palm (Cycas revoluta)—a cycad, not a true palm, dating back 250 million years.

Care Essentials

• Light: Bright indirect; tolerates direct sun
• Pot: Keep small—sagos prefer tight quarters
• Water: Let top ¼ of soil dry between thorough waterings
• Humidity: Adaptable to high or low
• Fertilizer: Sparingly, only during active growth

Pests and Propagation

Watch for scale and mealybugs. Propagate from basal offsets or seeds (on mature plants only). Male plants produce cones; females produce seed crowns—both rare indoors.