The Palm that is not a Palm

A tropical appearing plant that grows well in Borrego is the Sago palm ( Cycas revoluta ).

We brought a small plant with us when we moved here from Orange County. We planted it, along with another we had purchased, near the pool area. Both have thrived, multiplied and provided us with many off shoots. At one time, these plants were considered rare and thieves actually stole them from residential and commercial gardens...they brought a hefty price. Now, they are no longer considered threatened, the price has dropped and you can find them in many nurseries.

Cycads come from one of the most ancient of families. They lived during the Cretaceous and Jurassic periods and are still here today! Most closely related to conifers, they are gymnosperms ( bearing naked seeds ). Not to get into sex too deeply, let's just say they are either male of female! Of course, when we planted ours, we knew nothing about the sex of our plants. We found out soon enough...the male produced a large cone-like structure-the female, a soft velvety, light brown fuzzy mass which containing large orange seeds...how exotic!

We have found the plants can grow in direct sun but need to be inured to it. They seem to do better with some shade. They are hardy to 15 degrees, need good drainage, regular water and very little care. Ours are planted on north and south exposures, with partial day shade from overhangs. A perfect patio plant.
Sagos are fairly slow growing, but a one hundred year old plant might attain a height of twenty feet!

The other side of the story: All parts of the Sago is poisonous to pets. When ingested, they can cause all types of misery. The walnut-like seeds make attractive playthings and some dogs might even eat them. Ours has not, but we pick up the seeds whenever we see them. The leathery leaves are pointed and sharp. I like to use the leaves in a large vase inside the house. They last for weeks and make a dramatic addition to the decor. BUT, I have shed more blood handling those leaves than any other garden plant! WEAR GLOVES WHEN WORKING NEAR A SAGO!