Sago Palm
What a great plant to fill a pool-side planter! These majestic palms are not actually a palm, but a cycad (not to be confused with a cyclops…) and are native to southern Japan. So, not hardy in the NJ region but will winter over well in a pot in a location that gets some sun in your home during the winter months. Too much water and they will rot, so easy on the water during the winter months. In summer, put in a sunny poolside location, make sure they have good drainage and just enjoy them. These palms look absolutely regal planted in a pot with white impatiens cascading over the rim of the planter. Simple but elegant.
Caution - sago palms (cycas revolta) are extremely poisonous to both humans and pets. For some strange reason, animals are attracted to this plant, so please use caution if including it in plantings where pets have access. I guess hence the cycas revolta botanical name…
And so, what is a cycad, you might wonder? You weren’t wondering? Well, I’m going to tell you anyway, since I was wondering meself - they are evergreen seed plants characterized by a large crown of compound leaves and a stout trunk and have large pinnately compound leaves. These cycads are typically confused with true palms - but we now know that this not the case.
What did we learn the most about these gorgeous plants? - keep them away from pets!
