If you've ever traveled to the South Carolina Lowcountry, you've probably seen a plant there that looks like a cross between a fern and a palm, with feathery, leathery leaves that shoot up from the center stalk and fall gently like a fountain. Sometimes you'll spot it in pots or urns. It can grow as high as 20 feet and have a robust trunk. This tropical beauty is neither fern nor palm but a cycad, commonly called sago palm.

Cycas revoluta, its botanical name, has thrived since the Jurassic period, having changed little over the millennia. Today, it's easily found in nurseries and garden centers and grown here in Central Virginia generally as a houseplant, although it performs better when planted in the ground.

Once you've brought your plant home, set it in a bright place and water sparingly. Be sure the roots have plenty of room to spread. Sagos can take neglect, and that's one reason why they're so popular with less attentive gardeners.

Another reason is maintenance: it's practically nonexistent. Every year it's a good idea to remove the leaves down to the trunk, especially when new leaves emerge. Be sure to wear gloves when performing this task because the base of the leaves is hard and sharp.

Being a relative of conifers, sago palms produce cones when they're about five years old. They're dioecious, meaning they have female and male flowers borne on separate plants. The female produces a cluster-type flower; the male produces a cone. Seeds are formed by the pollination of the male with the female.

Commercial growers collect seeds to propagate plants. The amateur gardener can remove the side growths, called "pups," that often appear on the trunk and transplant them into small containers, where they will grow on.

Sago palms have a slow growth habit and are hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. However, it's not smart to leave your sago palm outside all winter because harsh temperatures and winds will likely kill it. Instead, bring it indoors and place it in a sunny location, and enjoy a little bit of the Lowcountry in your space, even during the bleakest days of winter.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
about the care and life of the sago palm,
visit rhapisgardens.com/sagos/