Cycad, Cycas revoluta, Sago palm

The Cycas revoluta is one of the best-known species of cycads. It is an extremely impressive plant that can reach a proud height of more than six meters. However, you need a lot of patience with regard to growth, because usually only three to eight new fronds form in young sago palms each year.

growth

The conspicuous growth of the cycad is often the reason for the high popularity of the plant. The wonderful, green, long fronds are absolute eye-catchers that cast a spell on every viewer. Depending on your wishes and the available space, the cycad can be kept as a room or, in summer, as a balcony plant. A spacious, bright location is required for pure room culture. With the right care and a lot of patience, you can enjoy a very impressive plant.

Sago palms are visually similar to palm trees, but they are not related to them. The Cyclas revoluta belongs to the order of the cycads, which are one of the few plants that still come from the primeval times of the earth. The cycad grows very slowly and forms large rosettes. It often takes one to two years before a new wreath of leaves appears on the plant.

It can even take several years for a fully scaled trunk to develop. Accordingly, you need a lot of patience when it comes to the growth of the sago palm. However, there is hardly any limit to the age of this impressive plant, so with proper care you will enjoy the Cycas revoluta for a long time.

care

Caring for a sago palm is not easy, as many special features have to be taken into account. A lot of care is required for the Cyclas revoluta to impress you with its wonderful, even growth. Should the plant surprise you with a bloom, then it is an absolutely spectacular event that does not happen often. However, the more time the sago palm can spend outdoors, the higher the chances of a beautiful male or female cone.

Location

The sago palm needs a bright, sunny location and very warm temperatures in order to grow beautifully. In summer you can put the plant outside, but it should definitely be in a sheltered place. It is also important that the Cyclas revoluta receives even light from all sides, otherwise the fronds develop only on one side, which often gives the impression of a deformity arises. However, if the plant has to make do with insufficient light, it usually no longer forms any new leaves.

Soil and substrate

The cycad needs a loamy-humus substrate, which is mixed with quartz sand. The pH of the soil should be between 5.8 and 6.8. However, the Cyclas revoluta also grows in conventional potting soil made from compost. Commercially available soil mixes should not be used, however, as they meet several necessary requirements, such as with regard to nutrient regulation and buffering power and a lot more, not ensure in the long term can.

Sowing and growing

Freshly imported seeds from specialist shops can be used for sowing. However, the reproduction of cycads is extremely difficult. The seeds need a warmth of 30 to 35 degrees in the soil to germinate. In addition, there must be constant humidity of 80 percent. It usually takes up to three months until you can see the first germ layers.

plants

For planting you will need the following.

• sufficiently large bucket with a bottom opening
• Pottery shard
• Potting soil
• Lava granules
• lime-free water

When planting, you use a broken pottery shard to create a drainage hole so that the water can run off. Then mix the potting soil with lava granules and pour the mixture into the lower third of the pail. Now place your young sago palm in the middle of the bucket, pressing the substrate again and again. Then all you have to do is water the plant with lime-free water. For the next two to three weeks, place the sago palm in a partially shaded location.

Repot

Since the cycad grows slowly, it only needs to be repotted every three to four years and when the roots of the Cycas revoluta protrude from the bottom opening of the bucket or extend through the substrate to press. Repotting takes place in February or March.

Repotting procedure:

• carefully remove the sago palm from its pot
• shake off the old earth
• remove dead roots
• move the plant to a new, larger container

The plant should not be exposed to direct sunlight for the next two to three weeks.

Cut

Cut cycad

The sago palm does not have to be cut. Since a new wreath of leaves arises relatively seldom due to the very slow growth, a cut should not take place. As soon as new leaves form from the crown, the wreath of leaves underneath simply dies off by itself. You can cut off the affected leaves with a sharp knife when they are completely dead, or you can simply wait for them to fall off by themselves.

to water

The Cycas revoluta requires little water and fertilizer. However, you should only use lime-free water for watering and spraying. Soft rainwater is also ideal for this. Although the plant prefers neither wet nor dry conditions, it can cope better with the latter if necessary. Since the cycad needs a high level of humidity, it is advisable to spray them with water at regular intervals.

The high humidity in combination with high temperatures has a beneficial effect on the growth and resistance of the plant. If the sago palm is kept in the room or winter garden, then the installation of a humidifier or an indoor fountain is ideal.

More helpful tips about watering:

• Pour only a little
• the substrate must never dry out completely
• avoid standing moisture

Fertilize

When fertilizing, it is important that you do not use mineral fertilizers, as there is a risk of salinization. At most during the growth phases, i.e. when new fronds are formed, it is possible to use green plant fertilizer. When metering the fertilizer, it is best to follow the instructions of the respective manufacturer. If you have an opportunity to get to deposited horse manure, then you are also welcome to use it as fertilizer.

Overwinter

As soon as the outside temperature is less than ten degrees, you should definitely move the sago palm into your home. Another option is to set it up in the winter garden. To overwinter, the plant needs between ten and 15 degrees and a location flooded with light.

During this time you should not and only rarely water fertilizer. Due to the low amount of light, the plant stops growing when the amount of irrigation water is reduced. From the month of April it is slowly possible to put the cycad outside again. However, year-round keeping indoors is also feasible.

Multiply

In addition to sowing by seeds, there are two other ways the cycad can propagate.

This is:

• Side shoots
• Chop the trunk

In some cases side shoots form on the cycad, which you can cut off and plant after a period of growth. There is also another option to propagate a cycad, but you have to do this by yourself Separate your plant: cut the trunk into small pieces and pull new parts out of these small parts Sago plants. In general, however, propagating a sago palm is not easy.

Pests

The sago palm is quite resilient and not very sensitive, but due to incorrect care it can lead to pests and diseases. Pests often attack the plant during its overwintering.

Spider mites

When cycads overwinter, spider mites tend to appear on them. The unwanted animals feel very comfortable in dry air as well as in warmth. If you find small, net-like structures, the plant is affected by spider mites. These settle mainly at the tips of the shoots and at the ends of the fronds.

Unfortunately, spider mites are often only visible with the eyes when the infestation is massive. Isolate the affected sago palm and increase the humidity. A wide variety of means are available in the trade to drive away spider mites. In many cases, however, the plants can only be disposed of.

Mealybugs and mealybugs

Likewise, mealybugs and mealybugs can occur, especially during the winter. You can usually recognize a lice infestation by sticky spots, the so-called honeydew drops, which can be found around the bucket. Mealybugs form white, cotton-wool-like coatings that normally occur in places that are difficult to see. Scale insects, on the other hand, are more difficult to spot.

An indication of this are small brown bumps on the fronds. However, many chemical agents attack not only the scale insects, but also the plant. It is better to remove the nests and lice by hand or spray the sago palm with a spirit and soap solution.

Diseases

Root rot

If the substrate of the cycad is too moist, root rot often forms. As the name suggests, the root of the plant rots here, which can usually even be smelled. However, there are currently no remedies that can help against root rot. If discovered in good time, it may be possible to save the plant by repotting.

Here you have to shake off the old earth well as well as cut off the rotting roots. Then pot the cycad in a loose, more permeable substrate and water the plant very little. With a little luck, you might still be able to save the cycad.

Powdery mildew

Powdery mildew infestation usually occurs in sunny and warm weather. Powdery mildew can be recognized by a white, wipeable coating on the upper side of the leaf. If your plant suffers from powdery mildew, spray it with a mixture of water and milk. The removal of infested leaves is also possible, but since the sago palm often has very few leaves, you would also take away its wonderful shape in this way. Because of this, it is not recommended.

sorts

In earlier times there were a large number of species of Cycas. Today, however, you will only find the Cycas revoluta. In Asia there are also some varieties that grow wild, but these are not suitable for indoor culture. As a potted plant, you can only buy the genus "Zamia", which is related to the sago palm.

Poisonous

All parts of the sago palm are poisonous. Because of this, you should make absolutely sure that neither children nor pets are unsupervised near the plant. However, by roasting it is possible to remove the poisonous content of the seeds of the sago plants. In this way, the seeds can then even be consumed.