Cycas revoluta
The Sago Palm, or Cycas revoluta, is not really a palm at all - it is a member of the ancient Cycad group of plants which are the oldest seed producing plants on earth. They predate the dinosaurs and reached the peak of their evolution 200 million years ago in the Mesozoic period.
Southern tip of the Japanese island of Kyushu, and the Ryukyu islands which include Okinawa and Iriomote
Not endangered
Full sun to partial shade
Medium, drought tolerant when established
-7 Degrees C
5-20 feet
6-10 feet
Clustering, up to 9 inches in diameter, texture is patterned with old leaf base remnants, older specimens sometimes develop branching trunks
Pinnate, up to 3-5 feet long, dark green waxy and very stiff leaflets
Cycads do not produce true flowers - cones emerge from the top of the plant
Male plants produce something that resembles a yellow pine cone up to 2 feet long. This is known as a microsporophyll. Pollen is released at maturity when the scales on the surface of the cone open
The female plant produces what is called a megasporophyll, which is in fact modified leaves. These are tan coloured and large orange/red seeds lay between the ragged scales which take about two months to mature, by which time the megasporophyll starts to fall apart
1-3 inched in length, oval, brown
Dioecious, male and female flowers occur on separate plants
Scales, mealey bugs
Easily between 1-3 months
