I don't think they are easy to keep looking good inside. I have never seen one look good for any length of time. Maybe some other person can elaberate more on interior requirements.

First thing is to remove those glued on rocks.

Looks like a few fronds that aborted, ( probably due to lack of water) The other ones are showing mechanical damage from being jostled around at the store.

Maybe leave the leaves on until a new flush, and then cut them off? Cosmetically they are not too appealing, but they are still providing some energy to the plant.

Here is a link to some good articles on Cycad culture,

Here is a link that might be useful: Cycad Care

You have two things going on there that isn't good, but not a big deal. First, the plant had a lot of mechanical damage on it. That is why some of the leaflets are brown and always in a straight line on the leaflet. A new flush in the spring will put out new leaves that aren't damaged. The next thing is the 3 or 4 small stringy leaves that have come out. This happens when the leaves come out and the plant is in a very low light condition. If the plant is flushing new leaves and it is inside where it is not getting direct light, it will do that, but just bringing it outside while it flushes amd the leaves harden off, will make a nice looking plant, even if it is primarily grown inside. I would cut those small leaves off and keep the larger, but somewhat brown leaves on, until it flushes with new leaves next spring.(and fertilize it in early spring)

I thought I would add something. I was writing my post while these other posts were being done at the same time. Just to help with trouble shooting, and knnn, you know I don't mean any offense, but if you look close at those new small leaves, you can see very small leaflets that are spaced a couple of inches apart instead of being right next to each other. Aborted leaves would be full looking, like the damaged ones, but would be brown or withered, with the elongated spacing of the leaflets, you can tell they are sun stretched and not aborted.

You are correct there Tom, Thanks for pointing out the difference. ( and no offense taken :-)

Thanks everyone,

I bought it at Lowes for $2.98 but was still hoping it would pull through. I feel better about it after reading everyones responses. I have already removed the stones and repoted because for some reason inside the clay pot was another little plastic pot glued in. Maybe for drainage. Will post picture shortly of it in new pot.

Thanks again
Stephanie
I will be growing this plant outside during the warm months and only housing it for the winter months.

Keep it outside as long as possible late into the fall. When it is indoors, strong light is not needed, and hold back on watering so you don't stimulate new growth. In the spring, watering can be resumed on a regular basis outdoors.

This is how I maintain all my cycads, I have 12 different species. If more people knew how easy they are to keep in non-tropical areas, provided you can give them sun when outdoors, they would be more popular.

x

Just a comment about the occasional light brown leaflets on an otherwise healthy frond. As others have said, it's mechanical damage. Whenever you overbend a little leaflet beyond a certain point (by rubbing against it too hard, or dropping the plant, or dropping something on it, or whatever) the leaflet will tend to die. This happened to my sago when I had it sitting outside under a hickory tree. The hickory (and the squirrels) dropped a constant rain of nuts in July and August. These bent a lot of the little leaflets and they turned light brown similar to yours. If there are just a few, I carefully cut each leaflet off with a scissors. But if there are a lot, I'd leave them on, otherwise you could do damage to the remaining ones.

I had one frost bit that looked a lot like that.
In the spring it grew a new flush and i then cut off all the dead and dying fronds it fully recovered.

Thank you, Zerophyte, yes I have a spot in full sun for it during our warm months. Now I know to be on the look out for scale.
Dave this sago came from the store looking like this. Who knows what all happen to the poor thing there. Low light, knocked over, jabbed at..... the list could go on. After I transplanted it I watered it with some superthrive to help with the stress.
Hope you have found another spot for your sago besides under the hickory tree. lol
Topher, I am hoping that this one will throw out new a new flush and I can cut the old ones off.
Here are a couple of photos after I clean it up a bit and transplanted it into a deeper pot.

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There are still a few things that should be changed if you want to be successful with this (and other plants).

1) That soil appears to be peat-based, which is very harmful. Peat degrades and becomes toxic after about 1 year...and who knows how long it's already been there? The soil physics and chemistry will ultimately determine success/ failure. I consider a poorly grown, but surviving plant, to be a failure.

2) Saving excess water in a saucer is equally bad. You must empty out that tray after watering.

Luckily, there is plenty out there to read. For starters, here is a great discussion about container soils. Everyone on this board should be required to read it.

x

xerophyte,

There is no peat in any of my plants. I don't use it at all. Haven't for a few years. I am using potting soil, compost and gravel. That is yet!

As for watering I would not water on top of a wood bookcase in the first place! It is sitting in a tray only because it is on a bookcase. Though I don't care much for the bookcase it is a habit of mine just as putting coasters under glasses is for some people. When I water it, I will take the plant into my bathroom on a stand where it can be water and drain without standing in water. In less I bottom water a plant I don't leave my plants standing in water and even though they do not stay in the water for very long.
There is so much I don't know about a lot of plants. But between two jobs one current and one in the past I have worked at a greenhouse for 10 years. So I do know a little about the basics. There are certain things we don't carry so I ask questions. As for buying the Cycas Revoluta I was pretty sure since the caudex was firm but with all the browning leaves I thought I would post and double check.
Have a Happy New Year!

Great - you don't intentionally use peat moss. But what is in the "potting soil"? And compost should not be used in pots. Organic components, like peat moss, compost, top soil...they decompose and severely restrict gas exchange and greatly reduce aeration in the soil.

The only organic component that should be used in any fair amounts is conifer bark chips. Pine, fir, etc. They decompose very slowly.

Happy new year to you too!

pasion: I'm happy to report we just had that large hickory tree removed last month! So I should have a very nice-looking sago next summer! Hah!

By the way, last winter my sago got a bit frost-bit (I left it out too late in the year). So around February, I cut off ALL the fronds. Here's what it looked like in May. You can see a new flush beginning. The plant looks great now.

Dave-
How low did temps go when you left your sago out and the fronds burnt? I left mine out until 20F and it's fine, and way smaller than yours. You know yours is worth a pretty penny by now, right?

Dave, your Sago is absolutely beautiful..What's its age? Is that a Fig behind the Sago???

Passion, what a pretty Sago and all for the price of 2.98..Wish we had a Lowe's around here..
Regarding the few brown leaves, perhaps you can call it variegated..LOL J/K..
Do you think you'll leave them on or clip?

Xero..I understand you saying peat and Sago's don't go together, but what do you mean, it shouldn't be used for other plants? I mix soils, (since the 70's,) and they do fine. I'm not saying a plant should be potted in straight peat, but when using other mediums, such as all purpose soil, Builder's sand, and Perlite, there shouldn't be problems. My oldest plant, which is just an ordinary spider, was purchased in 1973/4. Its potted in a combo of 1/3rd all purpose soil, 1/3rd peat and 1/3rd sand. That's one plant out of several hundreds grown in my house.. I don't understand why you think peat would upset the balance..Toni

hopeful: it's nearly 25 years old -- started from seed collected in Galveston. it's getting quite heavy to move around now.

Here's a photo several years ago. Yes, that was a Brown Turkey fig, which is in the ground at my new place now.

Here's a photo taken a few days ago during a mild spell. You can see how it had flushed out well after having had all the fronds removed the previous winter. It has numerous pups growing at its base too. In winter I'll move it outside when weather is mild - even down into the upper 20s at night. Then if it's forcast to go into lower 20s, I move it into the garage, which is kept around 45 degrees -- quite cool. I would not set it outside in winter if it was used to indoor warm temps though. I was a bit hesitant to leave it outside visible from the street, but I think it's too heavy to be stolen easily!

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I think around 14 - 18ºF you can begin to see damage. Might depend on the duration and the wind as well.

As long as you don't overpot them when small -- or overwater, you should not have a problem using plain old potting soil (with peat). Mine has been growing in Miracle Grow potting soil for years. They're really quite tough plants. Occasionally I'll unpot it, cut off about an inch or more of the root ball and repot with MiracleGrow plus Perlite added.

hopefulauthor - have you ever tried a soil mix for houseplants with minimal peat? One that contains mostly inorganic components like bark fines, perlite, granite chips, pumice, calcined clay (ex-Turface) with only a small % of organic material like peat? Most plants will tolerate lots of peat and appear healthy, but in reality are susceptible to problems as a result of poor aeration and reduced gas exchange at the roots.

It is worth repeating: there is a big difference between plants growing and surviving...and plants that are robust and thriving. Unless you do side-by-side comparisons, this difference is not perceptible.

dave...you use "plain old potting soil with peat", but then you mention that occasionally you repot. This is a good thing, peat breaks down after about a year, so what you in essence are doing is refreshing the soil and starting over again. But most growers probably do not repot as often as needed to keep peat-based soils healthy.

Here's additional reading which is really informative. Enjoy.

Yup. I repot once every 10 years whether it needs it or not! LOL!

One more thing to add Re: Dave's Cycas revoluta, there are probably more roots than soil/ air in the pot, so it hardly matters what the soil mix is made of at this point!

x

Dave, did you start the Sago from seed yourself? I can't believe how quickly its fronds grew in the time frame mentioned..I guess that's one difference living in VA vs. Il You probably have longer summers than we do. Right?
Is the Sago's pot Terracotta or Clay?
Either way, it looks heavy..but when we're determined, we manage hauling plants outside..lol I also like your musa..is it hardy to VA? The only hardy bananas here are Basjoo, which grow inedible fruit..but they get tall, large leaf, and quite pretty.
Dave, I'm an underpotter, and only water when soil is dry..I made a huge mistake w/my last Sago..it was the first that lived over 2 yrs..the front plant room, which is where it was kept, gets quite cold in winter..Don't know what I was thinking, but made the mistake of watering at night, then setting back in the cold..The next morning it was lying horizontal..So, I've learned a lesson..never, ever water at night, or even water and place in a cold room..it doesn't work. Years ago, I also lost a Pachypodium..sigh. We learn from our mistakes..
Anyway, your plants are gorgeous..Out of all the Sago's I've seen grown outside of a nursery I have to say yours is the best..

Xero..there are basically two types of all-purpose potting soils sold here in Il..heavy, black, or highly peat based. Niether can be used for plants w/o mixing other mediums..One is too heavy, the other two light.
I buy the heavier soil, then add other stuff so it blends, and definatly well-draining. (for 99% of my plants)
There are no soils sold here containing bark, etc..at least I've never found a place that sells soil like you mention. Therefore, the only choice is mixing my own.
I'm not saying I'm an expert, but I truly believe my plants do more than 'just thriving'. I grow citrus, many of which are blooming and fruiting. (over 20 types) succulents, (don't add peat in cactus/succulents) Various tropicals, palms, anthuriums, calatheas, stromanthes, fat plants, African Violets, Episcias...the list goes on and on.
BTW, I sometimes toss in a handful of orchid bark when repotting..Oh and speaking of repotting, this is only done when a plant needs it, but evey so often, I freshen the top w/fresh mix.
You're welcome to visit my website and check out plants..I'd appreciate any comments..Thanks, Toni

hopeful - let me offer an alternate explanation to why your Sago perished so quickly...it was so dry that there was significant root death. Then you watered...you can figure out the rest. Perhaps the same happened to your Pachypodium?

I think if you tinkered with your soil mix, you can come up with one where you do not have to fear that you are overwatering, and you don't have to let roots die.

I'm just trying to help and make suggestions. If you are comfortable with your methods, who am I to change that?

Nice collection BTW, I like the variegated African violet, never seen one of those

Xero, you are right -- there are more roots than soil in this pot, so I'm basically growing it hydroponically now. LOL!

Hopeful, yes, started from seed in 1982. Threw a seed in another pot of something. 3 months later it started growing. We have warm, humid summers. Some people here insist on planting potatoes on St. Patrick's Day in March. I think that's too early. It doesn't get really warm until June though. Not uncomfortably HOT until July. Memorial Day can often be cool and rainy. But summer extends into October.

I usually get no more than one flush per summer. In the south, in the ground, they can flush two or three times per season, so mine is growing slowly by comparison. It's in a plastic pot. I think the banana in the pic was a M. basjoo. I dug up a lot of pups and gave them away several summers ago.

Here's how basjoos do in Virginia:

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Basjoos are wonderful aren't they? These are in their 2nd year:

A big Cycas rumphii in a pot is pretty damn tropical looking to me as well, and so easy to keep...in the winter I keep it in my den with minimal light and water, and it stays perfectly healthy until the spring:

FYI, Cycas thouarsii and C. circinalis are very similar looking.

x

That's a great looking cycad. How tender is it? I like that I can move some of my subtropicals outside during mild spells in winter. Of course these zone 8 / 8b plants can take nights down into the upper 20s. I'll move them back in for the next cold spell.