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Cycads

© Diana Pederson

Outdoor gardening frequently becomes impossible for the disabled. One way to overcome this difficulty is to make a collection of a specific plant genus. This week, I'd like to suggest the cycad plant family as an excellent group to collect.

These plants are often called "living fossils" because we find fossils of them with the dinosaur bones. For further information on fossil cycads, please see Hunting For Fossil Cycads in Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona and Cycads

It is somewhat difficult to find more than a few lines about cycads in houseplant books. The only species seen commonly in northern greenhouses or nurseries is Sago Palm, Cycas revoluta, which is not related to palms. While writing this article, I learned from Jody Haynes, Webmaster & Newsletter Editor for the Palm and Cycad Societies of Florida, that the queen sago, Cycas rumphii, the prince sago, Cycas taitungensis, and a few Dioon species are grown in the southern states as outdoor plants. Jody also provided this information on the origin of the name, "Sago Palm":

The common name "sago palm" comes from the similarity of cycads to palms and from the edible starch (sago) that has been extracted from the trunk by native peoples in Japan and southern China. There is also a palm from this region called the sago palm (Metroxylon sagu) for the same reason.

While researching this plant species, I checked the book, Growing Beautiful Houseplants by Rob Herwig which gave very limited information. Herwig says to keep the plant in "much light" but to screen it from the brightest sunlight. It should be grown in a warm condition, not dropping below 54 F although it can handle lower temperatures in the winter if the soil is dry. The plant should be kept moderately moist during the growing season and allowed to dry more in the winter. A 50-60% humidity is recommended. This is nearly impossible to obtain outside of a tropical greenhouse. He recommends a mixture of potting soil and clay or loam for the potting media.

The cultural directions given in this book would be enough to make most people give up the idea of even trying these plants as houseplants. During an on-going email conversation with Jody, I learned that these plants can tolerate a bit of frost (although I doubt they could survive in Michigan) and that they don't need the high humidity suggested by Herzog. Jody does suggest misting the leaves twice daily and being sure they are not placed next to heating or air conditioning vents. He also stated they prefer high light situations.