Need help: Queen Sago Palm (cycad) propagation
gregr93525 at aol.com
Sat Feb 4 20:33:18 EST 1995
There are three ways to propagate the sago palm (Cycadaceae).
Seeds: sow the seeds in a shollow dish with a mixture of potting soil and
sand about a month after they have ripened. The temperature should be
high (in the upper 70's at least). It can take months before you see the
first tiny shoots begin to appear, and you must wait for another 2-3
months before you can move these seedlings to pots of their own. Remember
that the sago palm has both male and female trees, thus the female needs
to be pollinated by a male tree.
Propagation from side shoots: Older plants develop side shoots at the
base of their stems. You can cut these off and use them to make new
plants. Remove the largest of the leaves on the side shoots to stop too
much water evaporating from them. Stick the side shoots in soil and keep
the pot warm (about 80F) until new roots have grown. This can also take a
Section of trunk: When the sago palm is transported, it often arrives
with neither roots nor leaves. This is not a mistake. The trunk section
can be planted in soil in the same way as side shoots, and both roots and
leaves will eventually appear. No matter which method you choose to
propagate your sago palm, it is a difficult and time-consuming process.
Germination takes months, growing take years...it is really much easier to
go to the store and buy a "ready-made" plant!
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