Sago Palm Mystery / Question

8 years ago

According to my wife, this plant had a male cone on it two years ago. Now it has a huge flower and new growth coming from the center. Very cool. Is is possible for these Sago's to change sex?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

plantsman56
8 years ago
Answered in other thread
palmbob
8 years ago
I have not seen this other thread, but to answer your question, yes it is possible, but not terribly common. We are still hoping an Encephalartos woodii will change into a female someday… but so far, no one has seen it happen (yet). I have not heard of a Cycas revoluta changing sexes, but would not be surprised to learn that it happens now and then, particularly since there are a gazillion of these around the world… don't suppose you have a photo of the previous cones? That 'flower' by the way is a cone, too…. not unusual for cones to have leaves (though usually stunted versions) grow out of their centers, though why that happens I have no idea.
Related Discussions
Sago Palm Bonsai
Q
Comments (12)
I don't know if the original batch were just immature (and then not allowed to grow longer by being confined in a bonsai pot), but sagos, if left in ideal conditions (e.g. planted in the ground in the right climate) become really huge, so if you want to keep it small (and succeeding leaves) you need to keep it in a smallish pot, keep the roots trimmed as with any bonsai, and make sure it gets a lot of strong sun (a.m. preferred) which will help to keep leaves smaller. I wouldn't cut the original ones, just keep an eye on the new ones (they shouldn't get as long as the ones you're worried about - and if you want to cut those, it's up to you). The thing is, only a couple of leaves grow annually, so you have to be extremely patient, and decide carefully about cutting anything (they could always be cut at some future time after all).
...See More
Got a sago palm, have a few questions....
Q
Comments (28)
Why does this whole thing with Tom & Bob keep coming up? I have bought stuff from both of them and am glad that the world has both of them. Tom posts on several web sites and always has (free) advice & experiences to share. He is never arrogant or disrespectful - always gracious and helpful. As an amateur cycad enthusiast, I have a tremendous amount of respect for the research he has done (and information published). While some of us may get tired of seeing the 10,000 questions asked about 'sago palms', Tom graciously tries to help and answer questions such as the one posed in this thread (and make a point in his crusade against CAS). Thanks Tom. Anyone interested in buying cycads & not sure who to trust on the internet can rest assured that he's the real deal. I have no problem with people posting links to their businesses as long as they are legit & offer a relevant service to those who are viewing the thread. If he were posting links to V I A G R A or some other BS, then it would be unwelcome and he should be rightly shot or hanged. Bob is also a nice guy whom I have bought a few plants from. Always helpful, always throws in and extra plant or seeds or whatever. His web site is not as informative as Tom's, but he knows his dioons & ceratozamias better than I ever will. Another trustworthy source. BTW - Chip, the sago looks great. You have a nice plant. After it flushes, be prepared for nothing to happen for another year (unless you fertilize regularly & have warm weather). As long as it's green (not brown, yellow or covered with white crud), it's healthy. Cheers & Happy New Year!
...See More
How much can you sell sago palms for?
Q
Comments (25)
Hi my name is Misty and I do not have a green thumb my mom and dad have a sago palm in their yard and I got out all the seeds I am wanting to plant them but I have no idea what to do with them I know that I can Google all this information but I was just wondering if there was someone out there that could tell me all about it and what I need to do thank you very much
...See More
Another Sago Palm and pets question
Q
Comments (5)
As a veterinarian I see my share of plant toxicoses, and by far the most common is dogs eating this plant... and sadly often with dire consequences. In my opinion cycads are potentially the most dangerous plants to plant in your yard from a toxic-to-dogs point of view... the reason is not because they are the most toxic plants around... not even close... but they do NOT taste bad. in fact, their fruits, which are the most toxic part of the plant, actually taste sweet. I had a puppy in just today that ate all the fruits off a Sago Palm and thankfully vomited most of them up... still needs to be hospitalized and have its liver enzymes monitored. This not-tasting-bad thing is the big problem with cycads... Oleander, Azaleas, Castor Bean etc. are far more toxic, but few dogs are dumb enough to eat things that taste so bad. But sometimes dogs will go crazy and just eat about anything, no matter how bad it tastes (I had a Boston Terrier patient that ate an entire Diffenbachia- not only a horrible tasting plant, but full of painful oxalates... still, it went crazy, ate the hole thing, and died... and Diffenbachias are not known as a super toxic plant). I have tons of cycads in the yard, and occasionally one of my dogs will chew on a leaf, but they have lots of toys that taste better or are more fun to chew on, so I don't get any toxic incidences... I do NOT however let a Sago Palm or Zamia fruit (chop those parts off right away). in terms of danger, however, my spiny plants are more dangerous so I have to keep the dogs from the cacti and spiny agaves.
...See More
plantsman56
8 years ago
About 12 years ago there were at least 22 documented cases of cycad sex reversal. It usually happened after a stressful event like a fire, freeze, and just a rough transplant. After two of my cycads changed sex by accident I just had to try an experiment. I can go into great detail if anyone wants to hear all that, but the bottom line was, I was able to change 20% of the male plants into females and 20% of the females into males. I told Roy Osbourne of my experiment and the next year he had a mass accidental change, where he was planting 6 male Cycas taitungensis plants at an airport and all of them turned into females. 8 years ago he wrote a paper saying that cycads are not genetically male or female, but call it sex expression. Basically, when a cycad is stressed in many possible ways, it produces a hormone, and if it happens at the right time, sex reversal.

It doesn't happen often, but I get an email or a phone call about twice a year from someone who knows nothing about cycads, and swear their sago changed the kind if cone it had.
HU-323028298
3 years ago
Earlier this year I found what looked like a long dried pine cone which had wrapped itself about 1/3 way around one of my two sago palms. I had not noticed it when it was growing. When I found it, it had already dried. I pulled on it and it freely snapped off of the tree. Now I just found what looks like a round ball growing at the top of both of my sago palms. From this thread I assume it changed sexes.

Related Stories

DECORATING GUIDES Design Mystery: Why Do Pineapples Sprout Up in Home Design?

By Mary Jo Bowling

Early Americans were bananas about pineapples — and we’re still reaping the benefits of the sweet fruit’s symbolism today

Full Story

PATHS Create Garden Mystery With a Zigzag Path

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Foster intrigue by setting garden paths at angles ‘yatsuhashi’-style

Full Story

DECORATING GUIDES Palm Trees Take Interiors on a Tropical Vacation

By Samantha Schoech

Conjure a sultry vibe or bring welcome life to modern rooms. Whatever your interior design style, palm trees are the ticket to enhancing it

Full Story

FUN HOUZZ Houzz Quiz: What's Your Decorating Style?

By Mitchell Parker

Answer these 9 questions to find out what decorating style suits you best

Full Story

712

GARDENING GUIDES 5 Invaluable Life Lessons From the Garden

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

The garden is both teacher and healer. Don't be afraid — dig in and reap the benefits

Full Story

PHOTO FLIP 80 Stairways to Design Heaven

By Bryan Anthony

Step on up and peruse this collection of spectacularly stylish staircases

Full Story

HOUZZ TOURS My Houzz: Stately Southern Charm in a Federalist-Style Home

By Kayla Stark

Moss-covered oak trees, European antiques and contemporary style set off this Louisiana home

Full Story

HOUSEPLANTS 8 Essentials for Healthy Indoor Plants

By Naomi Wynn

Houseplants add so much to our homes — and can thrive when grown in the right conditions. Keep these tips in mind

Full Story

109

PETS Garden Alert: 22 Plants to Keep Away From Pets

By Marianne Lipanovich

Avoid potential danger by keeping dogs and cats away from these landscaping and houseplant favorites

Full Story

By creative jewish mom.com

If you can fill a jar with water, you can keep golden pothos vine happy — and it will pay you back with cleaner air and a greener home

Full Story

Sago Palm Mystery / Question

Comments (4)

plantsman56

palmbob

Related Discussions

plantsman56

HU-323028298

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US