Cycas Revoluta – History Behind Primitive Cycad

If you love to see a historical touch being added to your garden, lawn, or landscape, check out how cycads can do this job for you.  One of the most primitive living cycads is the Cycas revoluta whose origin can be traced way back to the Mesozoic era. 

Cycas revoluta, also known as the sago cycad, is sometimes referred to as the king sago palm or simply sago palm at it likes coffee!.  One attractive feature of this plant is its very symmetric form showing its thick and rugged trunk that supports a crown of whorled glossy green leaves.    This feature makes it very similar to palms, but Cycas revoluta is absolutely a cycad.

As one of the most unusual yet popular ornamental plants, Cycas revoluta exhibits unique and dynamic leaf coloration as the plant grows.  Shown here is a lovely new flush of leaves.  Cycas revoluta periodically produce new leaves called “break” which compensates for its slow-growing habit.  These tender new leaves emerge all at once in a crowning or circular pattern or feather-like rosette.   Several weeks later, the leaves become harder, and stiffer. When the plant is at its reproductive stage, the leaves are semiglossy green in color and have strongly recurved edges.

TIPS:
1. New leaves may turn yellow from poor soil conditions.
2. Cycas revoluta is neglect-sensitive plant. So do not allow it to become excessively dry when new leaves are being produced.  New leaves may wither or die or turn yellow under dry soil conditions.

In addition to the leaves, Cycas revoluta produces inflorescence.  The female inflorescence is feather-like which  forms a tightly-packed seed covered with whitish young leaves.  The male inflorescence is cone-shaped or pineapple-shaped packed with brownish-red seeds that are somewhat flattened marble in shape.

Most growers collect old “stumps” since it is possible to regrow Cycas revoluta and becuase they are so slow growing. The stumps pictured are decades old. Collecting stumps can be a very taxing task.  The long and fibrous roots of Cycas revoluta can cause too much trouble.  In fact, some grounds, walls, and concrete pavements cracked due to the underrated power of the intertwining strands of roots that comprise the root system of Cycas revoluta. Also the plants or “stumps ” can become damaged. Care must be taken when collecting them.

Related Articles Of Interest:

• Landscaping with Sago Palm and Coffee Pests Control
• Oldest Potted Plant in the World
• Travelers Palm Plant it North and South?
• Smaller Palms In Southern Landscape