Hobbies And Interests
Identification
The trunks of wild sago palms are sturdy and erect, usually between 1 and 2 feet in diameter. The palm produces multiple heads of dark green leaves that grow to between 3 and 4 feet long. In young palms, the foliage emerges from a stem near ground level. These stems have small barbs that protect them from predators. In older plants, the foliage appears overhead, with the old leaf bases still present on the lower portions of the trunk.
Biology
Not to be confused with true palm trees, sago palms are gymnosperms rather than monocot angiosperms. As part of the cycad plant group, sago palms are one of the most primitive seed-plants still in existence. There are about 200 species of cycad, with the sago palm being the species that is most propagated. Sago palms do not have flowers and the plants are either one sex or the other. Female seeds are brightly colored and can be as large as a plum. Males produce large amounts of pollen.
Care
Although generally easy to care for, sago palms will not tolerate environments with too much moisture. Avoid overwatering and keep them in easily drained soil. To encourage the plants to bloom, they should be fertilized once a month and exposed to full sunlight. If kept in containers, the plants may take up to 15 years to bloom. Sago palms sometimes exhibit a yellowing of the leaves as the plant attempts to conserve nutrients.
Toxicity
Sago palms contain both carcinogenic compounds and neurotoxins. The negative effects of ingesting the plants have long been known. In Australia, members of Captain Cook's expedition became sick after eating cycad seeds. According to the Institute of Tropical Medicine, cattle that graze on cycad leaves exhibit a paralysis of the hind limbs known as "zamia staggers."