Sago Cycad
Cycas revoluta
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*This map shows the current US range, not the native range.
Sago cycad is native to Kyusha and the Ryukyu Islands of Japan as well as southern China. It was brought over to the US in 1993 through the nursery industry. It's planted for decorative purposes in tropical areas of the US, and isn't considered invasive. Sago cycad grows best in moist, well-drained soil, though it's tolerant of many soil conditions, making it especially good for decoration. It grows in partial to full sun. It's drought tolerant once established and won't survive temperatures below 15 degrees Fahrenheit.
Fruit: The male fruit is a pineapple-shaped cone that can grow up to 2 feet tall. The female fruit is a large, golden, rounded cone. Both types of plant are required for pollination. Pollination occurs from April to June, during which the female cone will become packed with seeds. The seeds, grape-sized, orange, and covered with fur, mature from September to October.
Flowers: Cycads are gymnosperms and produce no flowers.
Uses: The pith contains a starch that can be processed to make sago.
Ethnobotany: Cycad fronds have been used as ceremonial palms, and sago has been made from the pith, for many years back into the sago cycad's history.
Importance to wildlife: Though the seeds are very attractive, they are lethal when consumed and can threaten wildlife. The sharp fonds typically deter wildlife from nearing the plant.
A single leaf on a sago cycad. Leaves are pinnately compound and palmlike (though sago cycad is not a true palm). They grow to 20-60" long.
A closer look at the leaflets on a sago cycad. Leaflets are 3-6", shiny, revolute (having curled-back edge), and spiny-tipped.
The top of a sago cycad, showing the circular "rosette" pattern of the leaves. The leaves grow straight out of the trunk.
Old leaf shoots on a sago cycad. When leaves turn completely brown in the winter, they are usually pruned away to maintain the palm tree-like crown and prevent infestations.
The seed of a sago cycad contained in the female fruiting body.
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